"Well, in town this morning they chose me as one of the judges of
vegetables at the fair next month. I said, 'Gentlemen, I expect to be
married before that time, and I do not intend to be separated from my
wife. Will she have the privilege of accompanying me among these
competing vegetables? And last month they made me director of a
turnpike company--I suppose because it runs through my farm. To-day at
a meeting of the directors I said, 'Gentlemen, how far is this turnpike
to run? I will direct it to the end of my farm and not a step farther.
I do not wish to be separated from my wife.'"

Georgiana has teased me a good deal in my life. It is well to let a
woman taste of the tree of knowledge whose fruit she is fond of
dispensing.

"You'd better be careful!" she said, archly.

"Remember, I haven't married you yet."

"I _am_ careful," I replied. "I haven't married _you_ yet, cither! My
idea, Georgiana," I continued, "is to plant a grove and raise cocoons.
That would gratify my love of nature and your fancy for silk dresses.
I could have my silk woven and spun in our manufactory at Newport,
Kentucky; and you know that we couldn't possibly lose each other among
the mulberry-trees."

"You'd better take care!" she repeated. "Do you expect to talk to me
in this style after we are married?"

"That will all depend upon how you talk to me," I answered. "But I
have always understood married life to be the season when the worm