that; it cost me a good deal--it cost me fifty cents.' He went away
then, 'n' he can marry Eliza Gringer if he likes, 'n' I'll wish 'em
both joy 'n' consider myself the luckiest o' the three."

Mrs. Lathrop chewed her clover.

"'N' then there's Jathrop!" continued the speaker, suddenly
transfixing her friend with a piercing glance,--"there's even Jathrop!
under my feet night 'n' day. I declare to you 't upon my honor I ain't
turned around four times out o' five this week without almost fallin'
over Jathrop wantin' me to give him a chance to explain his feelin's,
I don't wish to hurt your feelin's, Mrs. Lathrop, 'n' it's natural 't,
seein' you can't help yourself, you look upon him 's better 'n'
nothin', but still I will remark 't Jathrop's the last straw on top o'
my hump, 'n' this mornin' when I throwed out the dish-water 'n' hit
him by accident jus' comin' in, my patience clean gin out. I didn't
feel no manner o' sympathy over his soapy wetness, 'n' I spoke my mind
right then 'n' there. 'Jathrop Lathrop,' I says to him, all forgettin'
how big he'd got 'n' only rememberin' what a bother he's always been,
'Jathrop Lathrop, you let that soakin' be a lesson to you 'n' march
right straight home this instant, 'n' 'f you want to think of me,
think 't if I hear any more about your feelin's the feelin' you'll
have best cause to talk about 'll be the feelin' o' gettin' spanked.'"

Mrs. Lathrop sighed slightly.

Miss Clegg echoed the sigh.

"There never was a truer sayin' 'n' the one 't things goes by
contraries," she continued presently. "Here I've been figgerin' on