joke 's fine 's he did at first.' But she was too used up to know when
she was havin' good common-sense talked to her; she jus' kep' wipin'
her eyes, 'n' then Mrs. Sperrit drove up 'n' the whole rigmarole had
to be gone over again for her. I mus' say that she behaved kind of
un-neighborly, f'r she laughed fit to kill herself, 'n' Mrs. Craig was
nigh to put out over such doin's,--'n' the cat not dead a week yet;
but when Mrs. Sperrit got through laughin' she made up f'r it all, for
she said if Mrs. Craig was willin' she'd take Augustus home with her.
Mrs. Craig couldn't believe she was in earnest at first, 'n' then she
wept again with sheer joy. 'N' what _do_ you think 't Mrs. Sperrit
did?--Took Augustus straight across to Mr. Shores 'n' bought a
dog-collar 'n' a chain for him 'n' buckled it on right then and there.
'I'll engage he don't throw no cats down no wells out on the farm,'
she says, 'n' then off she drove with the youngster sittin' up beside
her prim 's a poodle."

"Did you hear--" asked Mrs. Lathrop, chewing pleasantly.

"I see Mrs. Brown," Susan continued calmly,--"she was down in the
square. Seems 't young Dr. Brown didn't get to observe Henry Ward
Beecher like he expected. He 'n' Amelia went over to Meadville, 'n'
mebbe they'll go on to the city from there, f'r his practice is
spreadin' so 't he's got to buy a bigger borin'-machine, 'n' he wants
a lot more bastin' thread an' needles. But Henry Ward Beecher was up
'n' doin' as usual last night. He skum two pans o' milk 'n' didn't put
the covers back, so a June bug got in. Mrs. Brown says Mrs. Craig 's
welcome to drink her cat if she favors the idea, but she ain't
drinkin' no June bugs herself, so she had to give the complete pan to
the pigs. 'N' he eat more too!--he eat ajar o' watermelon pickles 'n'
all the calves-foot jelly 't was all ready f'r old Mrs. Grace. It's a