irst night she thought it was Mr. Jilkins comin' into town with a hot
wheel. I would n't be surprised myself to see Gran'ma Mullins drop dead
when she hears Lucy get Hiram for better for worse. It 's awful to see a
mother suffer so. I don't see how Hiram stands it. If I was him 'n' she
had a stroke at my wedding I should call it a stroke o' luck 'n' nothin'
else. Not that I don't feel kindly disposed towards Gran'ma Mullins, but
I 'm pretty tired hearin' her tale o' woe. Other folks' troubles is
generally more interestin' to other folks than they are to me, and
besides, if it really comes to talkin' of troubles, nobody ain't got no
more to talk about than I have myself. This money question is nippin' me
sharper in the calves every day, and when Mrs. Macy told me yesterday as
her steps was givin' out I felt like sittin' down on 'em when they done
it. Lord knows, I 'd never be one to wave my flag from no post-hole in
the thick of no flight, 'n' you know yourself, Mrs. Lathrop, that as a
general thing I keep a stiff upper-cut through black and blue, but still
if Mrs. Macy's steps really do break down I feel like I shall have no
choice but to Jack-and-Jill it after 'em."

"Maybe--" suggested Mrs. Lathrop, hopefully.

"Well, I ain't a-expectin' it anyhow. I 'm expectin' ruin, 'n' I can
hear it howlin' and nosin' around my house all night long. Somethin' was
swimmin' in the cistern last night, too,--if it made the other side safe
I 'm all right, but if it drowned there 'll be another bill. It ain't no
use your tryin' to cheer me up, Mrs. Lathrop, because I ain't to be
cheered. I know I 'm goin' to the poorhouse, 'n' I don't thank you nor
no other man for tellin' me to my face as what I know ain't so. Gran'ma
Mullins 'n' me is two very sad hearts these days, 'n' Heaven help us
both. To hear her talk you 'd think the Siamese twins was the sun and
moon apart compared to her 'n' Hiram, 'n' now she 's got to give him up
to Lucy Dill. She says Lucy ain't old enough to appreciate Hiram; she
says Lucy 'll expect Hiram to be pleased, 'n' Hiram ain't never pleased;
she says when Hiram keeps still 'n' don't say nothin' he's pleased, 'n'
when he goes to bed 'n' to sleep right off he 's real pleased. She says
Lucy won't understand, 'n' then there 'll be trouble. She says trouble
is a awful thing to have, 'n' she knows all about it 'cause she had it
with her husband. She says the only good o' havin' trouble with your
husband is the comfort