weasel. Father loved him 'n' mother hated him,--she said she was always
findin' him asleep in her shoes and sleeves. I was speakin' about it to
Gran'ma Mullins to-day 'n' she said she remembered comin' to tea at
mother's once 'n' their findin' the weasel in the tea-pot. I guess
that's the first time Gran'ma Mullins has spoken of any livin' soul but
Hiram in six months. She 's feelin' worse than ever over Lucy's decidin'
to be married at home on account o' the blue bengaline. She says that's
a extra turn o' the ice-cream-freezer handle as she never counted on
havin' to submit to. She says she naturally supposed if Hiram got
married as she 'd sit in the front pew for once in her life, 'n' see the
bride's dress good, 'n' hear the answers plain, 'n' now instid her only
child, as she 's loved like a mother ever since he was born, is goin' to
be married in a parlor as private as if he was bein' buried from the
smallpox! She says, oh dear, oh dear, seems like she never will be able
to live down that mirror as she smashed with her head the first time she
saw what she looked like. She says she wa'n't more 'n nine months old
'n' yet that mirror has tagged her right through life ever since. She
says she missed all her school examinations 'n' did n't get the deacon
'n' did get her husband, 'n' as if that wa'n't enough she must needs
lose her husband, 'n' she 's had no choice but to be a widow ever since,
'n' she 's been sprained in all directions 'n' been broke in all
directions 'n' her mince-meat 'most always ferments 'n' Hiram 's been
her one bright spot 'n' now he 's got to get married in a parlor. She
says the worst is as it would draw bread right out of a stone to see how
cheerful Hiram is these days,--she says any one would suppose as Lucy
Dill was goin' to surely make him happy to see how he goes smilin'
around. She says it 's one of the most pathetikest sights as she ever
see to watch Hiram markin' off the days on his calendar, 'n' she cried
when she told me. She says no one need n't tell her as there 's any one
else like Hiram, for she knows him well enough to know as it could n't
possibly be true. And then she cried again. I tell you what, Mrs.
Lathrop, I may be pretty well churned up over my money troubles, but I
can assure you as I feel like a monkey jumpin' through three rings at
once beside Gran'ma Mullins. Mrs. Macy says that when Hiram goes to see
Lucy you can hear her sobbin' way to the crick,--Mrs. Macy says the
f