' through the red-and-yeller
sugar-maples and the beech-trees. She said he was mighty cheerful
himself, and it made her mad to see how easy he was takin' it. When
they got within sight o' the house Henry says, 'Now dry your eyes,
Emmeline, or mother'll think you ain't glad to see her. She goin' to
be mighty glad to see you.' Old man Sanford and his wife, honey, was a
couple that thought more o' their daughters-in-law than they did o'
their own children. They'd had nine sons and never had a gyirl-child,
and they'd always wanted one, and the old man used to look at the boys
and say, 'Well, your mother and me didn't want this many boys, but you
children would be boys, and now you've got to make up for the
disapp'intment you've been to your parents by bringin' us in some
nice, pretty daughters-in-law.' And every time one o' the boys got
married the old man, he'd say, 'Well, my daughters are comin' at
last,' and the old lady used to say that her daughters-in-law paid her
for all the trouble her sons had been to her.

"It was milkin'-time when they drove in at the big gate, and the old
lady was jest startin' out with her quart cup and her bucket. Henry
hollered, 'Howdy, mother!' and she dropped the milk things and run to
meet 'em, and Emmeline said she never had such a welcome in her life.
The old lady didn't take any notice o' Henry. She jest hugged and
kissed Emmeline and pretty near carried her into the house. Then she
took notice of how Emmeline had been cryin', and she turned around to
Henry and says she, 'Henry Sanford, what have you been doin' to this
poor child to make her cry? It speaks mighty poorly of you to have
your wife cryin' this soon in your married life.' And Henry put his
hand in his coat pocket and pulled out a little bundle and handed it
to his mother and says he, 'Mother, I want you to tell Emmeline whose
this is.' And the old lady opened the bundle and says she, 'Henry
Sanford, what do you mean by pokin' this old shirt at me when I want
to be makin' the acquaintance o' my new daughter-in-law?' And Henry
says, 'If you'll tell Emmeline all about this shirt, mother, it'll
stop her cryin'.' Emmeline said the old lady put on her specs and
looked at 'em both as if she thought they might be losin' their senses
and says she, 'Well, honey, I don't see what this old shirt has to do
with your cryin', but I can mighty soon tell you about it. It's one of
a half a dozen that Henry's father didn't have any better sens