d the whole thing settled 'n' off my mind."

The next morning Mrs. Lathrop laid in an unusually large supply of
fodder and was very early at the fence. Her son--a placid little
innocent of nine-and-twenty years--was still in bed and asleep. Susan
was up and washing her breakfast dishes, but the instant that she
spied her friend she abruptly abandoned her task and hastened to the
rendezvous.

"Are you goin' t'--" Mrs. Lathrop called eagerly.

"No, I ain't," was the incisive reply.

Then they both adjusted their elbows comfortably on the top rail of
the fence, and Miss Clegg began, her voice a trifle higher pitched
than usual.

"Mrs. Lathrop, it's a awful thing for a Christian woman to feel forced
to say, 'n' Lord knows I would n't say it to no one but you, but it's
true 'n' beyond a question so, 'n' therefore I may 's well be frank
'n' open 'n' remark 't our minister ain't no good a _tall_.--'N I d'n'
know but I'll tell any one 's asks me the same thing, f'r it certainly
ain't nothin' f'r me to weep over, 'n' the blood be on his head from
now on."

Miss Clegg paused briefly, and her eyes became particularly wide open.
Mrs. Lathrop was all attention.

"Mrs. Lathrop, you ain't lived next to me 'n' known me in 'n' out 'n'
hind 'n' front all these years not to know 't I 'm pretty sharp. I
ain't been cheated mor' 'n twice 'n my life, 'n' one o' them times was
n't my fault, for it was printed on the band 't it would wash. Such
bein' the case, 'n' takin' the minister into consideration, I do
consider 't _no_ man would 'a' supposed 't he could get the better o'
me. It's a sad thing to have to own to, 'n' if I was anybody else in
kingdom come I 'd never own to it till I got there; but my way is to
live open 'n' aboveboard, 'n' so to my shame be 't told 't the
minister--with all 't he's got eight children 'n' I ain't even
married--is certainly as sharp as me. Last night when I see him comin'
up the walk I never 'd 'a' believed 's he c'd get away again so easy,
but it just goes to show what a world o' deceit this is, 'n' seein' 's
I have father to clean from his windows aroun' to-day, I 'll ask you
to excuse me 'f I don't draw the subjeck out none, but jus' remark
flat 'n' plain 't there ain't no chance o' my _ever_ marryin' the
minister. You may consider that a pretty strong statement, Mrs.
Lathrop, 'n' I don't say myself but 't with any other man there might
be a hereafter, but it was me 'n' not anybody else as see his f