er things, I thought he was the biggest
man in the world, and I used to spekilate as to whether Mr. Farewell
Rollins had a coffin in his shop that would be long enough for him, if
he should happen to die at home. I didn't s'pose he had, and the thought
of what it would cost to get one big enough caused me a good deal of
sorrer. More 'n this, I thought he must have wonderful powers, and that
he could make me a kite that would fly to the moon, or, if he chose, dip
all the water out o' the sea with mother's long-handled gourd.

"These thoughts give me a good deal o' satisfaction, but there was times
that nothin' I could git out o' myself could chirk me up; and them
times I always betook myself to the andirons, and bobbed my head agin
the top on 'em, and that was sure to fetch me round.

"I longed for my father to come back, as much, maybe, that Rose Rollins
might see what a big man he was, as for anything else. I guessed she'd
begin to notice of us some when the Dauphin come in! Hows'ever, the
three year went by, and no Dauphin come in; and then the eyes o' my
mother began to look, not only as if they was a-gazin' away across the
salt sea, but clean into eternity. Her cheeks fell in like a pie that
has been sot in a cellar for a week arter the bakin' on't, and her arm
showed in her sleeve no bigger than a broomstick. I was a'most afeared
on her sometimes, her forehead come to look so like yaller glass, and as
if I could see right into it, if I only tried; and them times I thumped
my head uncommon hard on the knobs of the andirons,--they was a
blessin', Rose,--and I used to spekilate as to what folks did that wa'
n't rich enough to hev 'em. My mother got so weak, arter a while, that
she would sometimes sit by the side o' the tub and wash; and it was
astonishin' to me to see what great sheets and bed-quilts she could
wring dry them times; and it was astonishin', too, that she could keep
her hands in freezin' water, day arter day, and be none the wuss for it;
but she always said she wa' n't,--in, fact, she used to tell me she
thought it done her good; and, happy enough for me! I never thought o'
doubtin' of her for many a long day arterwards.

"Many a time she give me the last bit o' bread, and said she wa' n't
hungry, and once when I broke my slice in two, and offered her part
back, she said, 'No, Johnny, I don't think I feel so well for eatin'.
Rich food,' she said, 'didn't suit her constitution. And so, if we
happened to