church-member, that hadn't experienced religion, or even ben struck
with conviction, an' all the rest on't. Ef anny one hed a wanted tew
hev seen a walkin' hornet's nest, they could hev done it cheap that
night, as I went hum. I jest stramed intew the kitchen, chucked my
hat intew one corner, my coat intew 'nother, kicked the cat, cussed
the fire, drawed up a chair, and set scaoulin' like sixty, bein' tew
mad for talkin'. The young woman that was nussin' aunt,--Bewlah
Blish, by name,--was a cookin' grewel on the coals, and 'peared tew
understan' the mess I was in; but she didn't say nothin', only
blowed up the fire, fetched me a mug er cider, an' went raound so
kinder quiet, and sympathizin', that I faound the wrinkles in my
temper gettin' smoothed aout 'mazin' quick; an' 'fore long I made a
clean breast er the hull thing. Bewlah larfed, but I didn't mind her
doin' on't, for she sez, sez she, real sort o' cunnin',--

"'Poor Hiram! they didn't use yeou waal. Yeou ought to hev tried
some er the poor an' humly girls; they'd a' been glad an' grateful
fer such a sweetheart as yeou be.'

"I was good-natered agin by that time, an' I sez, larfin' along with
her, 'Waal I've got three mittens, but I guess I might's waal hev
'nother, and that will make two pair complete. Say, Bewlah, will
yeou hev me?'

"'Yes, I will,' sez she.

"'Reelly?' sez I.

"'Solemn trew,' sez she.