s still there or not.
However, I 've got to go, leg or no leg. I told Mrs. Macy I 'd be at
the minister's at half-past eight to boil 'em all fresh 'n' I ain't
got more 'n time to make it easy. I 'll be home to get you some
dinner."

"I wish I knew where Ja--"

Susan stopped in the act of bending for the tray.

"Mrs. Lathrop!--Mrs. _Lathrop!_ Do you mean to say 's you don't know a
blessin' when it 's throwed right square in your face like yesterday?
Jathrop 's gone, 'n' he can't never come back, 'n' if you had ten legs
you 'd ought to yield the last one o' 'em up to Heaven without a
murmur out o' sheer gratitude over his bein' took. Now you lay still
there 'n' don't even think such foolishness, or the Lord may lose his
patience like the cow did hers, 'n' after feelin' 'n' seein' 'n'
hearin' what a cow c'n do, I shouldn't feel noways inclined to rouse
the Lord 'f I was you."

So saying, Susan took up her tray and left the room.

* * * * *

The morning was very long to the broken-legged one, who found herself
quite unable to sleep under such circumstances. Her mind did not
exactly race about among the startling developments of the past few
hours, but it did dwell dubiously upon the more unfortunate phases of
past, present, and (possible) future events.

She was glad beyond words when she heard Miss Clegg's step on the
kitchen stoop about noon, and two minutes later Susan was occupying
the rocker, and the repast which she had brought with her was
beginning to occupy her friend.

"It 's jus' awful 's you can't get out," the visitor said
sympathetically; "you're missin' things 's you'll never have a chance
to see again--not 'f you live 's high 's Methusylem. The whole
c'mmunity is in the square or else on the crick road. They've got the
minister laid out on the sofa, like he was a president, 'n' Polly
Allen 's right there every minute to open the door 'n' keep the line
amovin'! Every one wants to see the minister 'n' every one wants to
see the cow; so some goes for the minister first 'n' the cow later,
'n' others looks 't the cow first 'n' takes the minister in on the way
back. They all stop one way or the other to look down at Mrs. Jilkins'
clawin's on the side o' the ditch, 'n' they say the way she dug in the
time she finally made it's almost beyond belief. The minister says
it's nothin' but a joy to him to welcome his friends. He lays there
'n' quotes 'All thy waves 'n' billows went right