"It 's jus' awful 's you can't get out," the visitor said
sympathetically; "you're missin' things 's you'll never have a chance
to see again--not 'f you live 's high 's Methusylem. The whole
c'mmunity is in the square or else on the crick road. They've got the
minister laid out on the sofa, like he was a president, 'n' Polly
Allen 's right there every minute to open the door 'n' keep the line
amovin'! Every one wants to see the minister 'n' every one wants to
see the cow; so some goes for the minister first 'n' the cow later,
'n' others looks 't the cow first 'n' takes the minister in on the way
back. They all stop one way or the other to look down at Mrs. Jilkins'
clawin's on the side o' the ditch, 'n' they say the way she dug in the
time she finally made it's almost beyond belief. The minister says
it's nothin' but a joy to him to welcome his friends. He lays there
'n' quotes 'All thy waves 'n' billows went right over me,' 'n' smiles
under his cotton, but Mr. Kimball says 'f he told the truth he'd say
'Jathrop Lathrop's cow 's went right over me 'instid.

"I must say 's the minister seems to be survivin' better 'n his wife.
She says she thought 't the baby was the last straw, 'n' now here was
a cow ten thousand times worse. She says bein' resigned is all right
'f you c'n be alone 'n' sit down in peace, but she'd like to know how
any one c'd resign themselves to a husband 'n' twelve childern all
freshly stepped on. I told her's the new baby hadn't been touched, but
she seemed beyond payin' attention to trifles like tellin' the truth.

"Young Dr. Brown 's awful anxious for some fresh cotton 'n' old Dr.
Carter to get here from Meadville. He says he wants to dress Henry
Ward Beecher's ear 'f anybody c'n ever catch Henry Ward Beecher. 'Liza
Em'ly 's goin' around huggin' herself 'n' groanin' to beat the band,