ou mustn't mention it, for it would spoil my reputation, and might
hender my getting another engagement." And then the poor giantess lost
her professional look and tone as she said, "I believe I'd rather die
than grow any bigger. I do lose heart sometimes, and wish I was a smart
woman and could keep house. I'd be smarter than ever I was when I had
the chance; I tell you that! Is Tom along with you?"

"No. I came with these young ladies, Miss Lancaster and Miss Denis, who
are stopping over to Deephaven for the summer." Kate and I turned as we
heard this introduction; we were standing close by, and I am proud to
say that I never saw Kate treat any one more politely than she did that
absurd, pitiful creature with the gilt crown and many bracelets. It was
not that she said much, but there was such an exquisite courtesy in her
manner, and an apparent unconsciousness of there being anything in the
least surprising or uncommon about the giantess.

Just then a party of people came in, and Mrs. Kew said good by
reluctantly. "It has done me sights of good to see you," said our new
acquaintance; "I was feeling down-hearted just before you came in. I'm
pleased to see somebody that remembers me as I used to be." And they
shook hands in a way that meant a great deal, and when Kate and I said
good afternoon the giantess looked at us gratefully, and said, "I'm very
much obliged to you for coming in, young ladies."

"Walk in! walk in!" the man was shouting as we came away. "Walk in and
see the wonder of the world, ladies and gentlemen,--the largest woman
ever seen in America,--the great Kentucky giantess!"

"Wouldn't you have liked to stay longer?" Kate asked Mrs. Kew as we came
down the street. But she answered that it would be no satisfaction; the
people were coming in, and she would have no chance to talk. "I never
knew her very well; she is younger than I, and she used to go to meeting
where I did, but she lived five or six miles from our house. She's had a
hard time of it, according to her account," said Mrs. Kew. "She used to
be a dreadful flighty, high-tempered girl, but she's lost that now, I
can see by her eyes. I was running over in my mind to see if there was
anything I could do for her, but I don't know as there is. She said the
man who hired her was kind. I guess your treating her so polite did her
as much good as anything. She used to be real ambitious. I had it on my
tongue's end to ask her if she couldn't get a few day