e a good match sp'iled for such a little
matter, and s'pose you compromise and have me to marry you.'

"And Amos says, 'I don't know but what that's the best thing that
could be done. I'll see Marthy and let you know.' And, bless your
life, they was married a week from that day. I went over and helped
Hannah with the cake, and Brother Morris said as pretty a ceremony
over 'em as any Presbyterian or Babtist could 'a' said.

"Well, the next Sunday everybody was on the lookout to see which
church the bride and groom'd go to. Bush Elrod bet a dollar that
Marthy'd have her way, and Sam Amos bet a dollar that they'd be at the
Presbyterian church. Sam won the bet, and we was all right glad that
Marthy'd had the grace to give up that one time, anyhow. Amos was
powerful pleased havin' Marthy with him, and they sung out of the same
hymn-book and looked real happy. It looked like they was startin' out
right, and I thought to myself, 'Well, here's a good beginnin',
anyhow.' But it happened to be communion Sunday, and of all the
unlucky things that could 'a' happened for Marthy and Amos, that was
about the unluckiest. I said then that if Parson Page had been a
woman, he'd 'a' postponed that communion. But a man couldn't be
expected to have much sense about such matters, so he goes ahead and
gives out the hymn,

''Twas on that dark and dreadful day;'

and everybody in church was lookin' at Amos and Marthy and watchin' to
see what she was goin' to do. While they was singin' the hymn the
church-members got up and went forward to the front seats, and Amos
went with 'em. That left Marthy all alone in the pew, and I couldn't
help feelin' sorry for her. She tried to look unconcerned, but anybody
could see she felt sort o' forsaken and left out, and folks all
lookin', and some of 'em whisperin' and nudgin' each other. I knew
jest exactly how Marthy felt. Abram said to me when we was on the way
home that day, 'Jane, if I'd 'a' been in Amos' place, I believe I'd
'a' set still with Marthy. Marthy'd come with him and it looks like
he ought to 'a' stayed with her.' I reckon, though, that Amos thought
he was doin' right, and maybe it's foolish in women to care about
things like that. Sam Amos used to say that nobody but God Almighty,
that made her, ever could tell what a woman wanted and what she didn't
want; and I've thought many a time that since He made women, it's a
pity He couldn't 'a' made men with a better understandin' o' women's