' his pants press' than
whut Mista Dills afford to spen' to buy his'n in the firs' place! He
lose his struggle, 'cause you' Aunt Julia, she out fer the big class.
Thishere Gammire, he dog cos' money; he show class same you' Aunt Julia.
Ain't neither one of 'em got to waste they time on nobody whut can't
show no mo' class than thishere li'l young dish-cumbobbery Mista Dills!"
"I don't care," Florence said stubbornly. "He could of saved up and
saved up, and if he saved up long enough he could of got enough money to
buy a dog like Gammire, because you can get money enough for anything if
you're willing to save up long enough. Anyway, I bet he's the one gave
him to her."
Herbert joined Kitty Silver in laughter. "Florence is always talkin'
about Noble Dill," he said. "She's sort of crazy, anyway, though."
[Illustration: _"Herbert attempted to continue the drowning out. He
bawled, 'She made it up! It's somep'n she made up herself! She----'"_]
"It runs in the family," Florence retorted, automatically. "I caught it
from my cousins. Anyhow, I don't think there's a single one of any that
wants to marry Aunt Julia that's got the slightest co'parison to Noble
Dill. I admire him because he's so uncouth."
"He so who?" Kitty Silver inquired.
"Uncouth."
"Yes'm," said Mrs. Silver.
"It's in the ditchanary," Florence explained. "It means rare, elegant,
exquisite, obs, unknown, and a whole lot else."
"It does not," Herbert interposed. "It means kind of countrified."
"You go look in the ditchanary," his cousin said severely. "Then, maybe,
you'll know what you're talkin' about just for once. Anyhow, I _do_ like
Noble Dill, and I bet so does Aunt Julia."
Kitty Silver shook her head. "He lose his struggle, honey! Miss Julia,
she out fer the big class. She ain't stedyin' about him 'cept maybe dess
to let him run her erran's. She treat 'em all mighty nice, 'cause the
mo' come shovin' an' pushin' each other aroun', class or no class, why,
the mo' harder that big class got to work to git her--an' the mo' she
got after her the mo' keeps a-comin'. But thishere young li'l Mista
Dills, I kine o' got strong notion he liable not come no mo' 'tall!" Her
tone had become one of reminiscent amusement, which culminated in a
burst of laughter. "Whee!" she concluded. "After las' night, I reckon
thishere Mista Dills better keep away from the place--yes'm!"
Florence looked thoughtful, and for the time said nothing. It was
Herbert who as
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