And if I wuz a chipmunk he couldn't bark at me no more than he
duz."

And I looked severe at Josiah and sez I, "If you don't jine your
syllables closer together you will see trouble, Josiah Allen.
You'll find yourself swearin' before you know it."

"Oh shaw, sez he, "customer haint a swearin' word; ministers use
it. I've hearn 'em many a time."

"Yes," sez I, "but they don't draw it out as you did, Josiah
Allen."

"Oh! wall! Folks can't always speak up pert and quick when they
are off on pleasure exertions and have been barked at as long as
I have been. But now I've got a minutes chance," sez he, "let me
tell you ag'in, don't you make no arraingments to go to the Moon.
It is dangerus, and I won't go myself, nor let you go."

"Let," sez I to myself. "That is rather of a gaulin' word to me.
Won't let me go." But then I thought ag'in, and thought how love
and tenderness wuz a dictatin' the term, and I thought to myself,
it has a good sound to me, I like the word. I love to hear him
say he won't let me go.

And truly to me it looked hazerdus. But Miss Flamm seemed ready
to go on, and onwillin'ly I followed on after her footsteps. But
I looked 'round, and said "Good-bye" in my heart, to the fine
trees, and cleer, brown waters of the brook, the grass, and the
wild flowers, and the sweet peace that wuz over all.