His last move wuz to spread out his hands, and utter a few of them
strange words, as if in benediction over a kneelin' multitude. And I
thought then, and I think still, that he wuz pronouncin' a benediction
on the savages. And I have always hoped that the mercy he besought from
on High at that last hour brought down God's pity and forgiveness on all
benighted savages, and bigoted ones, Deacon Garven, and the hull on 'em.




CHAPTER XXV.


The very next day after I got home from Miss Timson'ses, we wimmen all
met to the meetin' house agin as usial, for we knew very well that the
very hardest and most arjuous part of our work lay before us.

For if it had been hard and tuckerin' to what it seemed the utmost limit
of tucker, to stand up on a lofty barell, and lift up one arm, and
scrape the ceilin', what would it be, so we wildly questioned our souls,
and each other, to stand up on the same fearful hites, and lift _both_
arms over our heads, and get on them fearful lengths of paper smooth.

I declare, when the hull magnitude of the task we had tackled riz before
us, it skairt the hull on us, and nuthin' but our deathless devotion to
the Methodist meetin' house, kep us from startin' off to our different
homes on the run.

But lovin' it as we did, as the very apples in our eyes, and havin' in