'N' even then they was a long two miles. I was on my very last legs
when I got there, 'n' nothin' 't I see revived me none. Mrs. Lathrop,
the awfullest old tumble-down house 's ever you see--pigs in the yard,
'n' 'Prim' on the gate-post! 'N' me standin' pantin' for breath, 'n'
related to 'em all!"

Mrs. Lathrop's eyes grew bigger and bigger.

"There was a old man a-sittin' on a chair on the porch in one boot 'n'
one slipper 'n' a cane. He looked 't me 's if it 'd be nothin' but a
joy to him to eat me up alive 'n' jus' relish to gnaw the bones
afterwards. You c'n maybe realize, Mrs. Lathrop, 's I wasn't no ways
happy 's I walked a little piece up towards him 'n' said 's I 'd like
to see my cousin, Marion Prim. He give such a nod 's seemed 's if his
head 'd fly off, 'n' I took it 's she was somewhere near 'n' a-comin'.
So, 's I was all used up, I jus' started to sink right down on the
steps to wait for her.

"Oh, my soul 'n' body, that minute!--The awful shock!--Oh, Mrs.
Lathrop! you never in all your life dreamed such a yell 's he give! I
like to 'a' went deaf! I jumped worse 'n 'f I 'd been shot stone-dead.
Wild whoopin' Indians was sleepin' babes beside him. 'Not on my
steps!' he shrieked, poundin' with his cane 'n' shakin' with his
fist,--'not on my steps,' he howled louder 'n all below,--'not while I
'm alive!--not while I c'n prevent!--not while I c'n help it!--no
Clegg sits afore me, not now 'n' not never!' You c'n imagine, Mrs.
Lathrop, 's I didn't get very far to sat down under them
circumstances. I trembled all over, 'n' I backed off quite a little
ways 'n' looked at him. He kept chokin' 'n' gaspin' 'n' purple 'n'
swallowin', 'n' after a while I got up courage to ask him where Cousin