her as Jathrop would have been better off himself if he 'd
been any other thing as God ever made."

"He--" said the mother.

"You thought so," said Susan, "but nobody else ever did. Mothers is
always mothers 'n' the best will in the world don't seem able to help
'em out o' the scrape. There's Gran'ma Mullins just cryin' her eyes out
these days over Hiram, 'n' you 'd think Lucy was a sea-serpent and Hiram
was chained to a rock to hear her go on. She says she 's raised Hiram so
careful to be a comfort to her all these years 'n' she says he promised
her when he was only two 'n' a half years old that he 'd never smoke nor
drink nor get married. She says she 's trusted him all his life 'n' this
is the first time as he ever broke his word to her. She says all his
little ways is just so sweet, but she feels sure Lucy won't never let
him dip his bread in the platter-gravy 'n' Hiram 's so _awful_ fond of
platter-gravy. She says he likes to have the potato-smasher right by his
place at the table 'n' pound the meat to make more juice come out, 'n'
she says it 's been nothin' but a joy to her always to let him, 'cause
his father died when he wa'n't but eleven months old. But she says she
just knows Lucy 'll be death on Hiram's potato-smasher, 'n' she says she
most feels as if Lucy was goin' to be death on Hiram, too. She says she
can't look at Hiram these days without chokin' over thinkin' how Lucy 's
goin' to look at him inside o' three months. She says Hiram 's a very
tender nature, he can't be hurried awake mornin's, 'n' if he wakes up in
the night he _has_ to have gingerbread 'n' whistle till he drops off to
sleep again. She says no one as really loved Hiram would mind such
little trifles as that, but she says she has her doubts as to Lucy's
really lovin' Hiram, 'n' even if she does really love him now, she says
it ain't no reason as she 'll keep on lovin' him long. She says time
alone 'll tell what the end 'll be, 'n' she only hopes 'n' prays that
whatever Lucy does or does n't do, that she 'll never forget as she was
well 'n' richly warned beforehand, for she says she went herself in
streamin' tears 'n' begged her not to marry Hiram, an' she 's kept
straight on till now she 's almost done it."

Susan ceased speaking and took up her parasol.

"Are--" remonstrated Mrs. Lathrop.

"I must," said her neighbor; "I 'm hungry 'n' I want time to beat up
some soda-biscuit. It 's no use your askin' me to stay to supper,
because my