got so much as a
father. Mrs. Allen says they was all so used up 't when Mrs. Sperrit
was in to-day she jus' traded Brunhilde Susan against the makin' o'
Mr. Sperrit's summer shirts, 'n' then went right 'n' bought the cloth
'n' took the baby. Mrs. Allen says 's Mrs. Sperrit says 't Brunhilde
Susan c'n learn if dogs moo out on the farm, 'n' f'r her part she'd
rather be responsible f'r any man's baby 'n for one husband's
collar-bands. So Brunhilde Susan 's settled, 'n' Mrs. Allen 's awful
sorry 't she didn't send the cow along with her too, for she says 't
it's harder 'n you'd think to keep a cow content nights in a
chicken-house. But she didn't think in time, so she lost the chance,
'n' as a result she was down town buyin' thread with the minister's
cow on her shoulders."

Miss Clegg paused for breath. Mrs. Lathrop chewed passively.

"I must say, though, 't it 's generally admitted 't we've seen the
last o' the minister. To think how he looked the mornin' he left,--in
his wilted collar 'n' that coat 't Deacon White was married in,--'n'
all the time his ear-muffs hid away somewhere about him! I wouldn't
'a' believed it--not on your honor, Mrs. Lathrop. Hind-sight 's always
better 'n fore-sight, 'n' we c'n all see now 't we did a mighty
foolish thing givin' him such a easy chance to get out of it. I can't
see, though, how he's ever goin' to get another place without sendin'
to us f'r a good character, 'n' I'm free to confess 't I don't believe
't the father of Augustus 'll ever get any praise from the Craigs, nor
yet will the father o' little Jane from Gran'ma Mullins. The Craigs is
awful mournful to think 't they ain't got no kittens from their cat,
but owin' to the fact 't he wasn't no kitten kind o' cat he naturally
never had none. Mr. Kimball says mebbe the hairs from his tail 'll
turn into suthin' in the well like the hairs in horse's tails do in
waterin'-troughs. But 'f horse's hairs make snakes, I sh'd naturally
suppose 't cat's hairs would make mud-turtles, 'n' it ain't no
mud-turtle 't Mrs. Craig wants. She wants suthin' to warm her feet on
winters, 'n' she told me with tears in her eyes 't he never scratched
when he was rocked on, 'n' she used to rock on him so often 't by
spring he was all wore off in spots 'n' most wore through in some
places.

"Mrs. Jilkins was up from Cherry Pond to-day f'r the first time since
she took Josephus home with her las' Saturday mornin'. She was awful
surprised to hear all the