'n' gone up attic to see what trunks they fitted.
Mrs. Macy had to holler him down; 'n', my! but he was snappy. He said,
'Ask Dr. Brown,' 'n' then he clumb straight back up his ladder; 'n' Dr.
Brown said 's she died o' the complete seclusion of her aspirational 'n'
bronchoid tubes. I could see 't the newspaper man did n't know how to
spell it, 'n' he told young Dr. Brown any such doin's 'd squeeze the
cod-liver oil over into next week, which could n't be considered for a
minute. 'N' then he went on to say 't if folks want to die o' more 'n
one line, they 've got to do it Tuesday night, or at the very latest
Wednesday afore ten o'clock, if it's to be got in right.

"Well, next come the funeral; 'n' I will say right here 'n' now 't the
way 's the widows closed in around Deacon White was enough to send any
man up a ladder. There was Mrs. Macy 's was actually ready 'n' waitin'
to lay Mrs. White out afore she was dead. 'N' Mrs. Macy is n't one 's
any one 'd rashly set about makin' love to, I should n't suppose. I 've
always understood 's there 's a while 't they sit on laps; 'n' the lap
ain't built 's could take pleasure in holdin' Mrs. Macy. But she was on
hand, all the same, 'n' 's beamin' 's if she stood a show.

"'N' then there was Gran'ma Mullins! I was perfectly dumb did up at the
doin's o' Gran'ma Mullins. I 'd always looked on her 's a very deservin'
mother to Hiram, 'n' one 's any one c'd trust 's to doughnuts for
sociables; but when she come to Mrs. White's funeral with her hair
frizzed, I give up. Gran'ma Mullins--at her age--at the funeral of a
widower's dead wife--'n' her hair frizzed! Well, Mrs. Lathrop, if I was
on my way to my own hangin' I sh'd still say 't to my order o' thinkin'
it wasn't proper mournin'.

"Not 's there was n't others up to the same doin's. The first night Mrs.
Allen sent Polly over with one dish o' ice-cream 'n' one slice o' cake
for the deacon's supper,--'n' me there 's plain 's day sittin' up
alternate with Mr. Jilkins. 'N' Mrs. Allen did n't make no bones about
it, neither; she said frank 'n' open 't her disapp'intment over Sam
Duruy 'd aged Polly right up to where only a elderly man 'd be anywise
fit f'r her, 'n' she said she was teachin' her 'Silver threads among the
gold' 'n' how to read aloud 't the tip-top o' your voice. I did n't
discourage her none. I told her 't there was n't many like the deacon,
'n' that come true right off; fer we heard a awful crash, 'n' it was
then 't he