I never liked Mr. Weskin anyhow. But I d'n' know who I _can_ get now.
There's Mrs. Healy's husband, o' course; but when a woman looks
happier in her coffin 'n she ever looked out of it it's more'n a hint
to them's stays behind to fight shy o' her husband. They say he used
to throw dishes at her, 'n' I never could stand that--I'm too careful
o' my china to risk any such goin's on."

Mrs. Lathrop started to speak, but got no further.

"There's a new clerk in the drug-store,--I see him through the window
when I was comin' home to-day. He looked to be a nice kind o' man, but
I can't help feelin' 't it 'd be kind o' awkward to go up to him 'n'
have to begin by askin' him what my name 'd be 'f I married him. Maybe
there's them 's could do such a thing, but I 've never had nothin'
about me 's 'd lead me to throw myself at the head o' any man, 'n'
it's too late in the day f'r me to start in now."

Mrs. Lathrop again attempted to get in a word and was again
unsuccessful.

"I don't believe 't there's another free man in the town. I've thought
'n' thought 'n' I can't think o' one." She stopped and sighed.

"There's Jathrop!" said Mrs. Lathrop, with sudden and complete
success. Jathrop was her son, so baptized through a fearful slip of
the tongue at a critical moment. He was meant to have been John.

Miss Clegg gave such a start that she dropped her fan over the fence.

"Well, Heaven forgive me!" she cried,--"'n' me 't never thought of him