friendly chat ended for that time.

The morning after, Miss Clegg was slow to appear at the summons of her
neighbor. When she did approach the spot where the other stood
waiting, her whole face and figure bore a weary and fretful air.

"Father jus' about kept me up this whole blessed night," she began as
soon as she was within easy hearing. "I d'n' know what I want to get
married f'r, when I'm bound to be man-free in twenty-five years 'f I
c'n jus' make out to live that long."

Mrs. Lathrop chewed and listened.

"If there was anythin' in the house 't father didn't ask f'r 'n' 't I
didn't get him last night, it must 'a' been the cook-stove in the
kitchen. I come nigh to losin' a toe in the rat-trap the third time I
was down cellar, 'n' I clum that ladder to the garret so many times 't
I do believe I dusted all overhead with my hair afore mornin'. My ears
is full o' cobwebs too, 'n' you know 's well 's I do 't I never was
one to fancy cobwebs about me. They say 't every cloud has a silver
linin', but I can't see no silver linin' to a night like last night.
When the rooster crowed f'r the first time this mornin', I had it in
my heart to march right out there 'n' hack off his head. If it 'd 'a'
been Saturday, I'd 'a' done 't too, 'n' relished him good at Sunday
dinner!"

Miss Clegg paused and compressed her lips firmly for a few seconds;
then she gave herself a little shake and descended to the main
question of the day.