voice.

"Yes," sez I; "Jonesville, in the town of Lyme."

Sez I, "You have probable read my books, Ulaley." Sez I, "I spoze they
are devoured all over the World as eager as Ruger's Arithmetic, or the
English Reader."

She made a real polite bow here, and I most knew from her looks that she
wuz familiar with 'em.

And I kep right on, and sez I--

"From everything that I have hearn on you ever sence you come here I
have took to you, jest as the hull of the rest of America has. We think
a sight on you--you have shown a pattern of sweetness, and grace, and
true politeness, that is long to be remembered.

"And I want you to know that the only reason that I hain't invited you
to Jonesville to visit me is that you have had such sights and sights of
company and invitations here and there, that I told Josiah that I
wouldn't put another effort onto you.

"I sez to him, sez I, 'There are times when it is greater kindness to
kinder slight anybody than it is to make on 'em.' And I told Josiah that
though I would be tickled enough to have you come and stay a week right
along, and though, as I sez to him,

"'The Infanty may feel real hurt to not have me pay no attention to
her,' still I felt that I had Right on my side.

"Sez I, 'It is enough to kill a young woman to have to be on the go all
the time, as she has had to.' Sez I, 'The American Eagle has jest driv
her about from pillar to post. And Uncle Sam has most wore his old legs
out a-escortin' her about "from pleasure to palaces," as the Him reads.'

"And then, sez I, 'She has had considerable to do with Ward McAllister,
and he's dretful wearin'.'

"He's well-meanin', no doubt, and I have a good deal of sympathy for
him. For, as I told Josiah, he's gittin' along in years, and I don't
know what pervision eternity would give to him in the way of
entertainment and use. He can't expect to go on there to all eternity
a-samplin' wine, and tyin' neckties, and makin' button-hole bokays.

"And I don't suppose that he will be allowed to sort out the angels, and
learn 'em to bow and walk backwards, and brand some on 'em four hundred,
and pick out a few and brand 'em one hundred, and keep some on 'em back,
and let some on 'em in, and act.

"I d'no what is a-goin' to be done in the next world, the home of
eternal Truth and Realities, with a man who has spent his hull life
a-smoothin' out and varnishin' the husks of life, and hain't paid no
attention to the kernel.

"He tires