could n't budge. It squinched her right up, 'n'
she kicked some, 'n' mooed some, 'n' bust the wheel some, 'n' died.

"But Mrs. Macy wa'n't wastin' no time or words on the cow. She was
walkin' 's fast 's she could along to where the nearest noise was
comin' from.

"First she found Mr. Jilkins sittin' on a stump pickin' parasol out o'
himself 'n' swearin' in a way 's Mrs. Macy hopes to be spared
hereafter. While she was jus' bridge side o' him, Mrs. Jilkins come
scramblin' up out o' the ditch madder 'n sixty-five hornets. Seems she
'd got most to the top twice, 'n' it was so slippery 't she'd slid
clean back to the bottom again. Mrs. Macy says the Lord forgive her
all her sins forever 'n' ever, 'f she ever see such a sight afore. She
tried to wring her out in spots, but she was way beyond wringin'.
Besides, Mrs. Macy says she ain't been a widow so long but what she
see 't a glance 't they 'd be better 'n' happier without no third
party by, 'n' so she left 'em 'n' went on to where the minister 'n'
his family was feebly tryin' to put themselves together again. Polly
Allen 'n' Sam was there helpin' 'em, 'n' Mrs. Allen was up on the
porch with the minister's wife. Seems 't was her first sittin' up, 'n'
they 'd got her out in a rocker to see him come home jus' in time to
see him run over. She took on awful 'cause she thought 't he was
killed, sure, 'n' then when she found 't he was n't, the shock done
her up completely. They had to put her straight back in bed, 'n' then
they put the minister 'n his broken nose in with her 'n' went to work
on the rest o' 'em. Sam Duruy got young Dr. Brown there 's quick 's he
could, 'n' young Dr. Brown took off his coat 'n' rolled up his sleeves
'n' jus' went for 'em. He got the bandagin' 's was ordered for your
leg, 'n' used it right up on the minister's family. He sent for all
Shores' flaxseed 'n' all Kimball's cotton, 'n' then if he did n't
pitch in! I was there by that time, 'n' we set Polly to fryin'
poultices, 'n' Mrs. Macy 'n' me slapped 'em on hot. Sam was sent with
the horse to get the doctor's darnin'-needles 'n' thread, 'n' young
Dr. Brown told him to drive by the station 'n' tell Johnny to
telegraph to Meadville f'r old Dr. Carter to come over 'n' help him 's
fast as he could.

"Well, Mrs. Lathrop, I wish 't you could 'a' been there to see us. The
water jus' streamed off Mrs. Macy 'n' me, 'n' I bet them poultices was
hot, for no one never asked f'r a nother o' their own free will