d him 'f he didn't know a radish 'n' a beet when he saw one, 'n'
John Bunyan spoke right up 'n' said, 'Course he knowed a radish 'n' a
beet when he saw 'em, but how was any one to see a radish or a beet
till after he pulled it up first?' Oh my! but Mrs. Fisher says Mr.
Fisher was hot about it, 'n' it was all of a half hour afore he got
over his mad enough to be ready to teach John Bunyan anythin' else,
'n' then he wanted to show him the first principles of graftin', 'n'
so she put a big plate of apples where they was handy for the boy to
reach, 'n' come down town herself."

Mrs. Lathrop had approached the fence step by step, and now leaned in
a confidence-inspiring attitude against its firm support. The sight
seemed to affect Miss Clegg without her being conscious of the fact,
and she abandoned her first position on the doorstep and advanced
also.

"After all, we might 's well be comfortable while we visit," she
commented simply, when they found themselves adjusted as of old, "'n'
come to think it over I really did hear quite a piece o' news in town.
Mrs. Duruy says she's set Felicia Hemans to makin' Sam some shirts 'n'
Sam is runnin' the sewin'-machine for 'em. Now o' course 'f it comes
to such doin's the first day any one can figger on a week ahead, 'n' I
had a good mind to say 's much to Mrs. Duruy, but then I thought if I
had it in me to do any warnin' I'd best warn Felicia, 'n' as far 's my
experience goes a woman afore she marries a man always admires him
full 's much or maybe even more 'n' his own mother can, so it's breath
wasted to try 'n' tell either of 'em a plain truth about him. Now you
know, Mrs. Lathrop, 's I was never one to waste my breath, so when
Mrs. Duruy said 's she was thinkin' o' goin' over to Meadville to
visit her cousin, now 's she had somebody to keep her house for her, I
jus' remarked as I hoped she'd get her house back when she come back
'n' let it go at that. Mrs. Allen was in after mail, 'n' she said
Brunhilde Susan was in bed, 'n' the cow was all milked for the night,
'n' her mind was easy over 'em both; 'n' Gran'ma Mullins was to the
drug-store after some quinine to put on little Jane's thumb. She says
this week as she has little Jane she 'll jus' cure her o'
thumb-suckin' once an' f'r all time by keepin' it dipped in quinine.

"I didn't see none o' the others, but I didn't hear o' their bein' in
difficulties, so I come home. Mrs. Macy says Roxana sits 'n' weeps
straight along, but s