remembered that the new minister, Mr. Gay, smokes. I'll put some lace
curtains up in his room. You ain't seen him yet. He parts his hair in
the middle. The gals are all crazy 'bout him. I like his preachin'
putty well, but he don't use near as much brimstone as old Mr. Howe
does."

"Is Mr. Howe's son going to be a clergyman?" Alice asked.

Mrs. Hawkins laughed raucously.

"The Lord save us, I guess not! Why Emmanuel has gone and married a
play actress--and isn't she some? She rides a hoss just like a man
does, and the way she jumps fences and rides hur-rah-ti-cut down the
street would jes' make your hair stand on end. She's away now--I wish
you could see her. Of course you're goin' over to the store."

"Why, certainly," said Quincy. "I'm a special partner, you know. I
shall call on Mrs. Strout. You remember the party at Deacon Mason's,
Alice--I danced with Miss Bessie Chisholm--"

Mrs. Hawkins couldn't wait, "Yes, an' she made the perfesser just the
kind of wife he needed. She bosses the house... for I heard her tell
him one day that if he didn't like her cookin' he might have his
meals at the store--an' she goes to dances with her brother
Sylvester. Some folks think she's a high-flyer--but I don't blame her
seein' as how she has that old blowhard for a husband--which is true,
if he is your pardner."

Alice asked if the Strouts had any children.