see it; an' if she did, I guess she never forgot it.

"'Yes, it's a real nice one,' says I.

"I had to say suthin', but in a minute, I was most scairt. Lyddy turned
round, in a kind of a flash; her face blazed all over red, an' her eyes
kind o' went through me. She stepped up to the table, an' took up the
old pocket-book.

"'You've got a new one,' says she. 'May I have this?'

"'Course you may,' says he.

"He didn't look up to see her face, an' her voice was so soft an'
still, I guess he never thought nothin' of it. Then she held the
pocket-book up tight ag'inst her dress waist an' walked off into the
bedroom. I al'ays thought she never knew I was there. An' arterwards it
come out that that old pocket-book was one she'd bought for him afore
they was married,--earned it bindin' shoes."

"_'Twas_ kind o' hard," owned Mrs. Niles, bending forward, and, with
hands clasped over her knees, peering into the coals for data regarding
her own marital experiences. "But if 'twas all wore out--did you say
'twas wore?--well, then I dunno's you could expect him to set by it.
An' 'twa'n't as if he'd give it away; they'd got it between 'em."

"I dunno; it's all dark to me," owned Sally Flint. "I guess 'twould
puzzle a saint to explain men-folks, anyway, but I've al'ays thought
they was sort o' numb about some things. Anyway, Josh Marden was. Well,
things went on that way till the fust part o' the summer, an' then they