And I deeply respected her for her principles, for he had asked her first
to go May-flowering with him the day of the Suffrage meeting. But she
refused, havin' in her mind, I spoze, the girls that couldn't hunt flowers,
but had to handle weeds and thistles with bare hands (metaforically) and
wanted to help them and all workin' wimmen to happier and more prosperous
lives.




IV

"STRIVIN' WITH THE EMISSARY"


But I am hitchin' the horse behind the wagon and to resoom backwards. The
Reunion wuz put off a week and the Suffrage Meetin' wuz two days away, so I
told Lorinda I didn't believe I would have a better time to carry Serepta
Pester's errents to Washington, D.C. Josiah said he guessed he would stay
and help wait on Hiram Cagwin, and I approved on't, for Lorinda wuz gittin'
wore out.

And then Josiah made so light of them errents I felt that he would be a
drawback instead of a help, for how could I keep a calm and noble frame of
mind befittin' them lofty errents, and how could I carry 'em stiddy with a
pardner by my side pokin' fun at 'em, and at me for carryin' 'em, jarrin'
my sperit with his scorfin' and onbelievin' talk?

And as I sot off alone in the trolley I thought of how they must have felt
in old times a-carryin' the Urim and Thumim. And though I hadn't no idee