wasn't practical to
classify no drug-store without a rollin' step-ladder anyhow. Then there
came up the Kelly cat, 'n' on account of the Kellys havin' money the
Kelly cat come nigh to endin' Rufus. I never hear about the Kelly cat
afore, but seems as the Kelly cat was ailin' 'n' the Kellys took it to
Rufus for catnip, 'n' Rufus got to discoursin' with Bessy on how if
you're born under Venus with Mars gettin' up you're bound to marry
whoever you love, 'n' he clean forgot what ailed the cat 'n' tried to
give her ipecac as if she was croupy instead o' bein' droopy. The cat
knowed ipecac even if Rufus did n't, 'n' she bounced out from between
him 'n' Bessy 'n' bounced into the winder 'n' busted the big bottle full
o' green. Rufus said it was a fit, 'n' he got a hair-oil bottle as gives
you a nickel nose of your own for nothin', 'n' he put the nose on the
ipecac 'n' got the whole down the cat so far that she come nigh to
swallowin' the nose. Mrs. Macy said Mrs. Kelly never felt to forgive
Rufus, 'n' it set her deader 'n' ever agin' him, but, lor, Bessy was too
head over heels in love to care about cats or ipecac. She was as sure
Rufus was superior as any one could be, 'n' every one knowed what was up
as well as she 'n' Rufus did. Mrs. Macy said as every one said as a
superior young man must marry money or he could n't in reason stay
superior long, 'n' Rufus was dead set on stayin' superior, so they was
married the next spring 'n' moved to the city, 'n' they did n't come
back till it was plain as Mr. Kelly 'd have to support 'em or let Bessy
starve on Rufus's superiority."

Susan paused abruptly and sighed. Mrs. Lathrop said never a word.
Presently the discourse flowed on again.

"Well, there was n't really no wish to say nothin' but good of Rufus,
but it is a long drive to Meadville an' we had to talk, 'n' you know as
well as I do, Mrs. Lathrop, as it's nigh to impossible to talk long of
people if you 're only to say good of 'em. Rufus was there 'n' dead to
talk about, 'n' while we naturally wished him well, still we was pretty
tired before we got through drivin' sixteen miles to bury him. Gran'ma
Mullins said finally as he was certainly a very superior man, but she
knowed from her niece Hannah as he was trying to live with. She said
Hannah lived with 'em for five years 'n' looked after the children, 'n
cheered Bessy up when she was nigh to wore out with bein' married to
Rufus. Hannah never had no use for Rufus Timmans hers