and letting in an
unmistakable and delicious odor of short-cake that revived still more
the drooping spirits of her guest. "An' a good deal of knowledge has
died with her," she added, coming into the room and seeming to make it
lighter.

"There, she knew a good deal, but she didn't know all, especially o'
doctorin'," insisted Sarah Ellen from the rocking-chair, with an
unexpected little laugh. "She used to lay down the law to me as if I
had neither sense nor experience, but when it came to her bad spells
she'd always send for me. It takes everybody to know everything, but
Sister Barsett was of an opinion that her information was sufficient
for the town. She was tellin' me the day I went there how she disliked
to have old Mis' Doubleday come an' visit with her, an' remarked that
she called Mis' Doubleday very officious. 'Went right down on her
knees an' prayed,' says she. 'Anybody would have thought I was a
heathen!' But I kind of pacified her feelin's, an' told her I supposed
the old lady meant well."

"Did she give away any of her things?--Mis' Barsett, I mean," inquired
Mrs. Crane.

"Not in my hearin'," replied Sarah Ellen Dow. "Except one day, the
first of the week, she told her oldest sister, Mis' Deckett,--'twas
that first day she rode over--that she might have her green quilted
petticoat; you see it was a rainy day, an' Mis' Deckett had complained
o' feelin' thin. She went right up an' got it, and put it on an' wore
it off, an' I'm sure I thought no more about it, until I heard Sister
Barsett groanin' dreadful in the night. I got right up to see what the
matter was, an' what do you think but she was wantin' that petticoat
back, and not thinking any too well o' Nancy Deckett for takin' it
when 'twas offered. 'Nancy never showed no sense o' propriety,' says
Sister Barsett; I just wish you'd heard her go on!

"If she had felt to remember me," continued Sarah Ellen, after they
had laughed a little, "I'd full as soon have some of her nice
crockery-ware. She told me once, years ago, when I was stoppin' to tea
with her an' we were havin' it real friendly, that she should leave me
her Britannia tea-set, but I ain't got it in writin', and I can't say
she's ever referred to the matter since. It ain't as if I had a home
o' my own to keep it in, but I should have thought a great deal of it
for her sake," and the speaker's voice faltered. "I must say that with
all her virtues she never was a first-class housekeeper, but I