I pulled and she shook, I shook and she pulled, and before
morning we had peeled off yards of that paper.

A strip about as high as my head and half around the room.

And then when the sun came and that awful pattern began to
laugh at me, I declared I would finish it to-day!

We go away to-morrow, and they are moving all my furniture
down again to leave things as they were before.

Jennie looked at the wall in amazement, but I told her
merrily that I did it out of pure spite at the vicious thing.

She laughed and said she wouldn't mind doing it herself, but
I must not get tired.

How she betrayed herself that time!

But I am here, and no person touches this paper but me--not
ALIVE!

She tried to get me out of the room--it was too patent! But
I said it was so quiet and empty and clean now that I believed I
would lie down again and sleep all I could; and not to wake me
even for dinner--I would call when I woke.

So now she is gone, and the servants are gone, and the
things are gone, and there is nothing left but that great
bedstead nailed down, with the canvas mattress we found on it.