h gettin' the meals without havin' to get petunias too, 'n'
she was nothin' but glad to see what a clean shave John Bunyan made o'
the whole thing. She was down town buyin' him some marbles. She went
into Shores after 'em, an' she 'n' Miss White come out together. I
know suthin' had happened the minute I see Miss White's face, f'r
angels chantin' glory was nothin' to it. Do you know, Mrs. Lathrop,
that Fox never lived up to the trumpet bargain one hour, but jus'
yelled 'n' blew alternate, till the Deacon was nigh to deaf 'n' old
Mrs. White begun to hear, 'n' they was all 'most fit for the Insane
Asylum when Mrs. Sperrit come in to leave a skirt for new braid, 'n'
she jus' up 'n' took Fox home with her. She says 't he can make all
the noise he wants to out on the farm, 'n' the Whites is all but in
Paradise as a result."

"I sh'd think--" suggested Mrs. Lathrop.

"Well, I d'n' know," said Susan; "you may think so, but you didn't
look like it when I come. You looked to be asleep, Mrs. Lathrop, 'n'
bein' 's to-day's been a hot Monday 'n' to-morrow 'll likely be a hot
Tuesday, I feel some inclined that way myself. So good-night."

* * * * *

Susan's prophecy as to what the next day would be came true. It was a
scorching Tuesday, and nothing but the feast of gossip which "the
square" held upon this particular week could ever have drawn a crowd
there on so sultry a night.

"But every one was out," she told Mrs. Lathrop, as they met by the
fence along towards nine o'clock, "'n' oh my! you'd ought to 'a' been
there. Mrs. Craig's found her cat, 'n' that takes the lead, for she
come back of her own accord from a place where no one 'd ever 'a'
expected her to come back from."

"Where did--" asked Mrs. Lathrop eagerly.

"Come up in the well-bucket," replied Miss Clegg promptly,--"she come
up in the well-bucket this afternoon all but her tail, 'n' they think
Augustus must 'a' strained that throwin' her in by it 'n' so it soaked
off extra easy. Mrs. Craig went for him the minute she see the cat,
but, lor', you can't get nothin' out o' Augustus; he jus' said, 'Wash
zhat?--Zhat a cat?--Zhi a cat?--Zhu a cat?' 'n' Mrs. Craig was too mad
f'r words. She says 't they've been noticin' a curious taste in the
water, but not bein' in the habit o' drinkin' the house cat, they
never thought of its bein' him. She's troubled over findin' the cat
'n' troubled some more over not findin' the tail. She says Mr. Craig
sa