on a number o' Gran'ma Mullins' solid silver things. They've tried
scoldin' 'n' slappin', but she jus' keeps her mouth on the rampage,
'n' they can't get her to go back to her thumb f'r love nor money.
Mrs. Brown said she'd be glad to trade Henry Ward Beecher for little
Jane, 'n' I strongly advised her to do it, f'r to my mind a chewin'
child 's more to be counted on than a eatin' sleep-walker, but we was
evidently all o' the same way o' thinkin, f'r Gran'ma Mullins shook
her head 'n' wouldn't change.

"I see Felicia Hemans down buyin' suthin' with Sam along with a basket
to carry it home in. I asked 'f Mrs. Duruy was gone, 'n' they said
yes, 'n' Sam grinned 'n' Felicia giggled, same 's usual. I c'n see 't
the Allens is all put out 't Sam's bein' around with any one but
Polly, 'n' Mrs. Allen asked me 'f I really thought Mrs. Duruy 'd ought
to 'a' gone off like that. I said I thought it was a awful risk for
Felicia Hemans 'cause o' course she _might_ marry Sam in consequence.
Mrs. Allen didn't like it, 'n' she bounced Brunhilde Susan's
carriage-springs so hard 't she made Brunhilde Susan wake up. Mr.
Kimball was out in front o' his store, 'n' he hollered across to me 't
he was giv' to understand as Brunhilde Susan was learnin' to hang onto
money already. Every one laughed, 'n' I declare 't for the life o' me
I don't see how no one c'n make a joke over a baby's swallowin' a lent
nickel."

"Who--" queried Mrs. Lathrop.

"Well, Mrs. Fisher was one of 'em. She did sort of explain it away
afterwards, though. She said she was so happy she laughed at any
nothin' at all. Seems Mr. Fisher set John Bunyan to cuttin' the grass,
'n' the boy went 'n' sheared right over the bed o' petunias. Seems