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“Andtheyhadhimtosupper？“
“Itwasadinnerservedatnight。Yes。HetookMrs。Pryorinonhisarm，anditwaslikeagrandparty，justastheyfixedforthemselves，alone。Waiters，andsilvertrays，andthingscarriedinandoutincourses。“
“Myland！Well，Is’posehehadenoughschoolin’togethimthroughitallright！“
Mymother’sfacegrewred。Sheneverleftanyoneindoubtastowhatshemeant。Fathersaidthat“wastheDutchofit。“AndmotheralwaysansweredthatifanyonelivingcouldputthingsplainerthantheEnglish，shewouldliketohearthemdoit。
“Hecertainlyhad，“saidmother，“ortheywouldn’thaveinvitedhimtocomeagain。Andallmine，Mrs。Freshett，knewhowtositproperlyatthetable，andmanageaknife，forkandnapkin，beforetheyevertookamealawayfromhome。“
“No’fence，“laughedMrs。Freshett。“Imeantthatmaybehisyearsofcollegeschoolin’hadgivehimwaysmoreliketheirsthanmostofushave。Forallthemoneyittakestosendaboytocollege，heoughttogetsomethin’outofitmorethanjestfillin’hisheadwithfiggers，an’stars，an’oratin’；an’mostalwaysyoucanseethathedoes。“
“Itiscontactwithcultivatedpeople，“saidmother。“Youarealwaysinfluencedbyit，withoutknowingitoften。“
“Maybeyouare，bein’sofineyourself，“saidMrs。Freshett。
“An’metoo，InevergetamongmybettersthatIdon’tcarryhomealotIputrightintodailyuse，an’nobodyknowsitplainer。I
comehereexpectin’tolearnthingsthathelpme，an’whenIgohomeIknowIhave。“
“Why，thankyou，“saidmother。“I’msurethatisaverynicecompliment，andIwishIreallycouldfeelthatitiswelldeserved。“
“OhIguessyoudo！“saidMrs。Freshettlaughing。“Ioftennoticedyoumakin’aspecialefforttoteachpuddin’headslikemesomethin’，an’Ialwaysthankyouforit。There’saworldinrightteachin’。Ineverhadany。SoallIcanpickupan’
hammerintomineisagainformean’them。IfmyHenryhadlived，an’comeoutanythinglikethatboyo’yournan’theshowhemadelastSunday，I’ddowellifIdidn’tswellupan’bustwithpride。An’thelittletow-hairedstrip，takin’thegunan’
startin’outaloneafterarobber，evenifhewa’n’tmuchofaman，thatwasdownrightspunky。Ifmyboyswillcomeoutanywherenearlikeyourn，I’llbeglad。“
“Idon’tknowhowmyboyswillcomeout，“saidmother。“ButI
work，pray，hope，andhangtothem；that’sallIknowtodo。“
“Well，iftheydon’tcomeoutright，theyoughttobebumped！“
saidMrs。Freshett。“Afterallthechancesthey’vehad！Idon’
knowjesthowFreshettwasbrungup，butI’dnochanceatall。
Myfolks——well，Iguessthelesssaid——littlepitchers，youknow！
Ican’tseeasIwastoblame。Iwastheyoungest，an’Iknewthingswaswrong。Ifoughttogotoschool，an’papletmeenoughthatIsawhowotherpeoplelived。ComenightI’dgotothegarret，an’barthetrapdoor；buttherewouldbetimeswhenI
couldn’thelpseein’whatwasgoin’on。How’dyoulikechancessuchasthatforagirlofyourn？“
“Dreadful！“saidmother。“Mrs。Freshett，pleasedobecareful！“
“Sure！“laughedMrs。Freshett。“Iwasjestgoin’totellyouaboutmean’Josiah。Hecometoourhouseonenight，astrangerofftheroad。Hesaidhewassick，an’tired，an’couldhehaveabed。Mothersaid，`No，forhimtomoveon。’Hetriedan’hecouldn’t。Theywassomethin’abouthim——well，youknowhowthemthingsgo！Iwa’n’tonlysixteen，butIfeltsosorryforhim，allfeverburnedandmumblin’，Ihelpedpapputhimtobed，an’
doctoredhimallIcould。Comemornin’hewasasickman。Papwentforthecountydoctor，an’hetookjestonelookan’says：
`Smallpox！Allofyegit！’
“IwasboundIwouldn’tgo，butpapmademe，an’thedoctorsaidhe’dsendamanwho’dhadit；soIstarted，butIfeltsobad，comeachanctwhentheygottoGroveville，Islippedoutan’wentback。Themanhadn’tcome，soIsettoworkthebestIknowed。
’ForelongJosiahwasalittlebetteran’heaskedwhoIwas，an’
wheremyfolkswent，an’Itoldhim，an’heaskedWHYIcamebackan’Ididn’tknowwhattosay，soIjesthungmyheadan’
couldn’tfacehim。Afterawhilehesays，`Allright！IguessI
gotthissizedup。Ifyou’llstayan’nussmethrough，I’llbewellenoughtopullyouout，bythetimeyougetit，an’soonasyou’reablewe’llsplice，ifyousayso。’
“`Marryme，youmean？’saysI。Theywa’n’teveranytalkaboutmarryin’atourhouse。`Sure！’sayshe。`You’reamightylikelylookin’girl！I’lldofairbyye。’An’healwayshas，too！ButIdidn’tfeelrighttolethimgoitblind，soIjestupandsays。`Youwouldn’tifyouknowedmyfolks！’`YoulookasdecentasIdo，’sayshe；`I’llchanceit！’ThenItolehimI
wasasgoodasIwasborn，an’hebelievedme，an’healwayshas，an’Iwastoo！SoInussedhim，butIdidn’tmakethejobofithedid。You’memberheispittedconsiderable。HewassostrongIjestcouldn’tkeephimfromdisfigerin’himself，buthetiedme。Ibe
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