ut 'em back in the
pantry. He sot there and tooted all the evenin' till the moon come up
and the stars were all out, and then he slid down off'n the barn, and
barked both his shins doin' it, threw his trumpet into the pig pen, come
into the house and huddled up close to the fire. He didn't say nothin'
for a spell, but finally says he, 'I guess, Heppy, that feller made a
mistake in figurin' out the date.' 'I guess, Silas,' says I, 'that
you've made an all-fired fool of yerself. And if you don't go to bed
quick and take a rum sweat, I shall be a widder in a very short time,'
He was sick for more'n three weeks, but I pulled him through by good
nussin', and the fust day he was able to set up, I says to him, 'Now,
Silas Putnam, when I married ye forty-five year ago I promised to obey
ye, ye was allus a good perwider and I don't perpose to see yer want for
nothin', but ye have got to hold up yer right hand and swear to obey me
for the rest of yer nateral life,' and he did it. He got well, and he is
tougher'n a biled owl, if he is eighty-six. But the cold sorter settled
in his ears, and he's deef as an adder. Ef angel Gabriel blew his horn
now I'm afeared Silas wouldn't hear him."

During this long story Quincy had listened without a smile on his face,
but the manner in which the last remark was made was too much for him
and he burst into a loud laugh. Silas, who had been eying him, also gave
a loud laugh and said with his ponderous voice, "I guess Heppy's been
tellin' ye about my goin' up."

Quincy laughed again and Mrs. Putnam took part. He arose, told Mr. and
Mrs. Putnam he had enjoyed his visit very much, was very sorry Miss
Putnam was not at home, and said he would call again, with their kind
permission.

"Oh, drop in any time," said Mrs. Putnam; "we're allus to hum. You seem
to be a nice young man, but you're too young to marry. Why, Lindy's
twenty-eight, and I tell her she don't know enough to get married yet.
Ef you'll take a bit of advice from an old woman, let me say, 'less you
mean to marry the girl yourself, you'd better git away from Deacon
Mason's."

And with this parting shot ringing in his ears, he left the house and
made his way homeward.

In half an hour after Quincy's departure, Lindy Putnam entered the
sitting-room and facing her mother said with a voice full of passion,
"Samanthy says Mr. Sawyer called to see me."

Mrs. Putnam answered, "Well, ef ye wanted to see him so much why didn't
ye stay to h