not
have accepted any deeds unless signed before a notary and sealed with
our govermunt stamp. No wealth, no luxuries, not hardly the
necessities of life had Cousin John Richard, whilst Mudd-Weakdew
wuz steeped in the atmosphere of wealth and grandeur for which he
had lived and toiled, yet Cousin John Richard wuz blissfully happy
and content, Mudd-Weakdew unspeakably and hopelessly wretched. Both
had follored their goles and wuz settin' on 'em, but, oh! how
different they wuz--how different to themselves and them about 'em.
Inspiration and help flowed from Cousin John Richard's personality
like the warm sunshine of a clear June day, or the perfume from a rare
lily, brightening, sweetening and uplifting all about him, whilst from
Mudd-Weakdew fell a dark shadder made up of gloom, discontent, envy,
hatred. How different they wuz, how different they wuz! And Robert
Strong's gole, how different his wuz from Mudd-Weakdew's. I
methought of what Miss Meechim had said to me deplorin'ly, how
different Robert Strong wuz. Yes, indeed! both on 'em had had fur
different goles and pursued 'em. The onselfish road Robert Strong trod
wuz leadin' him to the house of happiness--Mudd-Weakdew's to the
house of pain and despair.

I dare presoom to say I eppisoded more'n a hour to myself about it and
to Josiah, 'tennyrate Josiah got real huffy and acted, and sez in a
pitiful axent:

"Samantha, I'm willin' to hear preachin' twice a week and can set
under it like a man, but it comes kinder tough to have moralizin' and
preachin' brung into the bosom of the family and liable to be drizzled
out onto me week days, and any time, night or day."

His axent wuz extremely hopeless and pitiful. He felt a good deal as I
did in the matter, but it is a man's nater to be more impatient and
not bear the yoke so well as wimmen do. Wimmen are more used to
galdin' things than men be; I don't blame Josiah.

I wuz glad enough to see in Vienna the stately monument to Maria
Theresa, Empress of Austria Hungary. To see all about her and below
her the noble forms of Wisdom, Strength, Justice and Religion. And men
a-hoss back and sages and soldiers and to see her a-settin' so calm
and benine on top of the hull caboodle, it gin me proud sensations and
made me glad I wuz a woman, but not haughty.

Maria Theresa wuz a likely woman; I wish she could have lived to have
me encourage her by tellin' her what I thought on her. I would said to
her:

"Marie," sez I, "you