"I can't get that plaster out o' my head," she continued presently. "I
wonder if it won't give you rheumatism anyhow. Deacon White got
rheumatism from movin' into a house where the plaster was damp, 'n' it
stands to reason it'd be worse yet if it's tied right tight to you. I
must say 't I agree with Mrs. Macy; I think you'd ought to have old
Dr. Carter. O' course it'll cost suthin' to have him over from
Meadville, but it'll cost you a sight more to have a wooden leg up
from the city. There ain't no sense in tryin' to save money over a
kick, Mrs. Lathrop, 'n' what's the good o' your economizin' all these
years 'f you can't indulge yourself a little when you want to? That's
what Mr. Shores said to me--jus' them very self-same words--when he
wanted to sell me that fancy green 'n' yellow parasol 's he had up f'r
Easter. I didn't want no parasol, though; it had a pointed-nose dog
f'r a handle, 'n' I didn't fancy myself goin' to church hangin' on to
a dog's nose, even 'f it was silver-plated. I ain't no great admirer
o' green 'n' yellow, neither, 'n' so I told him flat 'n' plain 't I
wa'n't through my economizin' years yet. He sold the parasol to Mrs.
Jilkins, 'n' she let it down on her thumb 'n' come nigh to breakin'
her thumb. She says she won't carry no parasol 's she can't shut down
without riskin' her thumb 'n' she 's goin' to give it to her niece
over to Meadville. She says her niece is awful womans-rightsy, 'n' can
swing dumb-bells 'n' look over backward 't her own heels, 'n' that
parasol 'll be nothin' but child's play to her. I ain't no sympathy
with such views myself--I never was one as believed overmuch in
womans' rights. My idea is to let the men have the rights, 'n' then
they're satisfied to let you do 's you please. 'S far 's my
observa--Lord have mercy on us!"

The cause of the abrupt termination of Miss Clegg's speech was a
sudden crashing back of the house, followed by a rush and a swish at