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Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley — Volume 10 by James Whitcomb Riley
page 35 of 194 (18%)
thought, better'n even she did her own mother.
Didn't go half so hard with her when her other
sister married. Yes-sir!" said the old man, by way
of sweeping conclusion, as he rose to his feet--
"Marthy's the on'y one of 'em 'at never married--
both the others is gone--Morris went all through
the army and got back safe and sound--'s livin' in
Idyho, and doin' fust-rate. Sends me a letter ever'
now and then. Got three little chunks o' grandchildren
out there, and I never laid eyes on one
of 'em. You see, I'm a-gittin' to be quite a middle-
aged man--in fact, a very middle-aged man, you
might say. Sence mother died, which has be'n--
lem-me-see--mother's be'n dead som'er's in the
neighberhood o' ten years.--Sence mother died I've
be'n a-gittin' more and more o' MARTHY'S notion--
that is,--you couldn't ever hire ME to marry nobody!
and them has allus be'n and still is the 'Nest-egg's'
views! Listen! That's her a-callin' fer us now. You must sort
o' overlook the freedom, but I told
Marthy you'd promised to take dinner with us to-
day, and it 'ud never do to disappoint her now.
Come on." And ah! it would have made the soul
of you either rapturously glad or madly envious to
see how meekly I consented.

I am always thinking that I never tasted coffee
till that day; I am always thinking of the crisp and
steaming rolls, ored over with the molten gold
that hinted of the clover-fields, and the bees that
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