marry any woman with a little money he could easy buy the little Jones
farm right next him, 'n' then 't 'd be 's clear 's day that it 'd be
his own fault if he didn't soon stretch right from the brook to the
road. He laughed some more 't that, 'n' said 't I didn't seem to be
aware 't he owned a mortgage on the Jones farm 'n' got all 't it
raised now 'n' would get the whole thing in less 'n two years."

Mrs. Lathrop stopped chewing.

"They was sayin' in the Sewin' Society 's he's goin' to marry Eliza
Gr--" she said mildly.

Miss Clegg almost screamed.

"Eliza Gringer, as keeps house for him?"

Her friend nodded.

Miss Clegg drew in a sudden breath.

"Well! 'f I'd knowed _that_, I'd never 'a' paid fifty cents for that
horse 'n' buggy! Eliza Gringer! why, she's older 'n' I am,--she was to
'Cat' when I was only to 'M.' 'N' he's goin' to marry her! Oh, well, I
d'n' know 's it makes any difference to me. In my opinion a man as 'd
be fool enough to be willin' to marry a woman 's ain't got nothin' but
herself to give him, 's likelier to be happier bein' her fool 'n he
ever would be bein' mine."

There was a pause.