plain, for Lord knows 'f he'd found a rich relation I wanted my old
flannels for cleanin' cloths hereafter. But he 'xplained 's Felicia
Hemans got Brunhilde out o' a book--the Nibble suthin' 'r other. 'Oh,
well,' I says, 'if you c'n be suited with namin' your family after
rats 'n' mice I guess you c'n leave me out,' I says, 'n' I kind o'
backed off so 's to try 'n' set him a-goin', but he stood still, 'n'
o' course no true Christian c'n shut her door in her minister's
face--even 'f she _is_ stark crazy to get to cleanin' her garret. 'Why
don't you name her Minnie after yourself?' I says (Minister, you
know), but I c'd see 't he didn't take to that a _tall_. 'Oh, well,' I
says then, feelin' 't I must get rid o' him somehow, 'name her after
me 'f you want to 'n' I'll give her--''n' I was jus' goin' to say 'my
blessin',' 'n' such a look come over his face 'n'--well, Mrs. Lathrop,
maybe I 'm too tender-hearted f'r my own good, but I jus' had the
feelin' 't I c'd 's easy pull the legs off o' a live fly 's to
disapp'int that face, 'n' so I says 'a dollar' right off quick before
I really thought. 'N' what do you think?--what _do_ you think? 'F you
'll believe me he did n't look overly pleased, 'n' at that I _did_
warm up a little. You don't 'xpect much of a minister, 'n' I think as
a general rule 't we 're pretty patient with ours, but you _do_ 'xpect
gratitude, 'n' a dollar's a dollar, 'n' considerin' the garret into
the bargain, I felt my temper comin' pretty high, 'n' I jus' out with
what I 'd been thinkin' all along 'n' I spoke the truth flat 'n' plain
right to his face. 'I d'n' know,' I says, 'why I sh'd be 'xpected to
give your baby more 'n a dollar. She ain't _my_ baby, 'n' you know 's
well 's I do where the blame f'r _that_ lies,' 'n' then I banged the
door in his face. Maybe it was n't jus' the proper thing to do, but 'f
ever a woman had no need for a minister it was me this mornin'."

Susan paused, and Mrs. Lathrop seized the chance to interpose a
question.

"'N' about your cousin--"

But Miss Clegg was already started again.

"I do get so aggravated when I think about the minister," she went on.
"I was sayin' to Mrs. Macy yesterday 's it does seem 's 'f I have
harder work keepin' on smilin' terms with my own minister 'n' even a
Job might in reason look for. I would n't be no woman 'f I had n't
shown some feelin' over the way 't he went about town tellin' right
'n' left how nice them stockin's o' mine fit him a