as able, 'I have come to
see if you would like to marry me, Mrs. Clover-leaf.'

"'I don't know,' said the sharp voice, 'I had not thought of changing
my condition.'

"'All you would have to do,' said Toby pleadingly, 'would be to stir
the soup for my grandchildren's dinner, while I knit the stockings.'

"There came a sound like the smacking of lips out of the darkness
within the house. 'Oh! you have grandchildren; I forgot,' said the
voice; 'how many?'

"'Six,' replied Toby.

"'I shall be pleased to marry you,' cried the voice; and Toby heard
the squeaking of shoes, as if the widow were coming.

"'When shall we be married?' said the sharp voice right in Toby's ear.

"He jumped so that he could not answer for a minute. 'Well,' said he
finally--'I don't want to hurry you, Mrs. Clover-leaf, but the soup is
to be made for dinner, and if I don't finish the pair of stockings I
am on to-day, my eldest grandchild will have to go barefoot. A pair of
stockings only lasts one a week.' And Toby sighed so pitifully that it
ought to have touched any widow's heart.

"The widow laughed. Toby felt rather hurt that she should. He did not
know of any joke. It was a curious kind of a laugh, too; as bad in its
way as her voice. But what she said the next minute set matters right.

"'Let us go and get married, then,' said she, 'and I will go right
home and make the soup, and you can finish the stocking.'

"Toby was delighted. 'Thank you, my dear Mrs. Clover-leaf!' he cried,
and offered her his arm gallantly, and they set off together to the
minister's.

"The widow took such enormous strides that Toby had to run to keep up
with her. She was much taller than he, and her bonnet was very large,
and almost hid her face. Toby could hardly have seen her, if he had
had his lantern; still he could not help wishing that one of them had
one, but the widow said her oil was out, so there was no help for it.

"Once or twice when she turned her head toward him, Toby thought her
eyes looked about twice as large and bright as phosphorescent buttons,
and he felt a little startled, but he told himself that it was only
his imagination, of course.

"When they reached the minister's, there was no light in his house,
either, and it occurred to Toby that it was Fast Day. Once a week,
Pokonoket ministers sit in total darkness all day, and eat nothing.

"When Toby called, the minister poked his head out of the study
window, and asked what he wanted.