r, which busted as
he reached the water's edge, dribblin' out neckties, bandanna
handkerchiefs, suspenders, cookies, and the dressin' gown with
tossels.

He scrambled after 'em as well as he could in his fearful hurry, and
his arms bein' full, he threw the dressin' gown round his shoulders
and madly raced over the gang plank, still emitting that agonizing
cry: "Samantha, wait for me! stop the ship!" which he kep' up after I
had advanced onward and he held both my hands in hisen.

Oh, the bliss of that moment! No angel hand, no reporter even for the
New York papers could exaggerate the blessedness of that time, much as
they knew about exaggeration. Tears of pure joy ran down both our
faces, and all the sorrows of the past seperation seemed to dissolve
in a golden mist that settled down on everything round us and before
us. The land looked good, the water looked good, the sky showered down
joy as well as sunshine; we wuz together once more. We had no need of
speech to voice our joy; but anon Josiah did say in tremblin' axents
as he pressed both my hands warmly in hisen: "Samantha, I've come!"
And I, too, sez in a voice tremblin' with emotion:

"Dear Josiah, I see you have." And then I sez tenderly as I helped him
off with the dressin' gown: "I thought you said you couldn't leave the
farm, Josiah."

"Well, I wuz leavin' it; I wuz dyin'; I thought I might as well leave
it one way as t'other. I couldn't live without you, and finally I
ketched up what clothes I could in my hurry and sot out, thinkin'
mebby I could ketch you in Chicago. You see I have got my dressin'
gown and plenty of neckties."

"Well," sez I in my boundless joy and content, "there are things more
necessary on a long sea voyage than neckties, but I've got some socks
most knit, and I can buy some underclothes, and we will git along
first rate." "Yes, Arvilly said so." Sez he, "Arvilly told me you'd
manage."

"Arvilly?" sez I, in surprised axents.

"Yes, Arvilly concluded to come too. She said that if you hadn't
started so quick she should have come with you. But when she found out
I was comin' she jest set right off with me. She's brung along that
book she's agent for, 'The Twin Crimes of America: Intemperance and
Greed.' She thinks she can most pay her way sellin' it. She jest
stopped on the wharf to try to sell a copy to a minister. But here she
is." And, sure enough, she that wuz Arvilly Lanfear advanced, puttin'
some money in her pocket, she had