helpmeet, and that He's
manifestin' Himself at present, or liable so to do.'

"Well, I studied over that a bit, but I didn't make nothin' out of it.
The old lady has spells, as I told you, when she ain't just right in her
head. Makes me laugh sometimes, the things she'll say. Take last night,
now! I didn't have no fork, and I asked her to please give me one.
Honest, if she didn't take and bring me a spoon! 'There, Cap'n!' she
says. 'It don't look like a fork,' she says, 'but I dono what's the
matter with it. The Lord'll provide!' she says. 'It's all dust and
ashes!' Other days, she'll be as wide awake as the next one, and talk
straight as a string. Well, about the bill! I told her she'd better let
it go, and Phrony'd come round and see she wa'n't actin' real sensible,
nor yet pretty. But not she! Next mornin' before I left she come out to
the barn and showed me another paper, and--Jerusalem crickets! if it
warn't a bill against Phrony for board and lodgin' for forty-seven
years! Haw! haw! That's where the old lady come out on top. There warn't
no bee in _her_ bunnet that time!"

"He! he!" cackled Mr. Sim.

"Ho! ho!" piped Mr. Sam.

But Mary Sands looked troubled. "Mr. Parks," she said; "you'll excuse
me, as am little more than a stranger to you; but yet I can't help but
say I do wish you was in a different kind of place. There must be lots
of nice places where you would be more than welcome."

"Mebbe so, and mebbe son't!" said Calvin Parks placidly. "Folks is real
friendly, all along the route. Yes, come to think of it, there's several
has said they would be pleased to take me in for a spell, if I should
be thinkin' of a change. But old Widder Marlin, she needs the board
money, and--well, here's where it is, Miss Hands; I don't know as she'd
be real likely to get another boarder. I knew the Cap'n, you see, and he
was always good to me aboard ship. But I'm full as much obliged to you,"
he added, with a very friendly look in his brown eyes, "for givin' it a
thought. Bless your heart, this old carcass don't need much attention;
it gets all it deserves, I presume likely, and more too.

"Well, I must be ramblin' along, I guess. I promised to pick up Miss
Phrony at the Corners. She's been visitin' there to-day, and she'll
think I'm lost for good. I tell you what it is, though, Miss Hands and
boys; it's easier to turn in at this gate than what it is to turn out
again, and I expect I shall be comin' in real often, if no o