l that was on the table,
with some new kind of a fancy jelly in it, and the Cap'n told her to
take it along when she went home, if she wanted to, speakin' right out
thoughtless, as men do; and that Mis' French chirped up, 'Yes, I'm
glad; you ought to have somethin' to remember the cap'n's sister by,'
says she. Can't you hear just how up an' comin' it was?"

"I can so," said Mrs. Topliff. "I see that bowl myself on Miss
Calvinn's card-table, when I was makin' a call there day before
yesterday. I wondered how she come by it. 'Tis an elegant bowl. Ann
must have set the world by it, poor thing. Wonder if he ain't goin' to
give remembrances to those that knew his sister ever since they can
remember? Mirandy Hull, that Mis' French is a fox!"

"'T was Widow Sparks gave me the particulars," continued Mrs. Topliff.
"She declared at first that never would she step foot inside his doors
again, but I always thought the cap'n put up with a good deal. Her
husband's havin' been killed in one o' his ships by a fall when he was
full o' liquor, and her bein' there so much to help Ann, and their
havin' provided for her all these years one way an' another, didn't
give her the right to undertake the housekeepin' and direction o'
everything soon as Ann died. She dressed up as if 't was for meetin',
and 'tended the front door, and saw the folks that came. You'd thought
she was ma'am of everything; and to hear her talk up to the cap'n! I
thought I should die o' laughing when he blowed out at her. You know
how he gives them great whoos when he's put about. 'Go below, can't
ye, till your watch's called,' says he, same's 't was aboard ship; but
there! everybody knew he was all broke down, and everything tried him.
But to see her flounce out o' that back door!"

"'T was the evenin' after the funeral," Miranda said, presently. "I
was there, too, you may rec'lect, seeing what I could do. The cap'n
thought I was the proper one to look after her things, and guard
against moths. He said there wa'n't no haste, but I knew better, an'
told him I'd brought some camphire right with me. Well, did you git
anything further out o' Mis' Sparks?"

"That French woman made all up with her, and Mis' Sparks swallowed her
resentment. She's a good-feelin', ignorant kind o' woman, an' she
needed the money bad," answered Mrs. Topliff. "If you'll never repeat,
I'll tell you somethin' that'll make your eyes stick out, Miranda."

Miranda promised, and filled her mouth