ry Andrews had the
day Judge McGowan spoke at the big barbecue.' Says she, 'Mary's dead,
and Harvey's dead, and I reckon there ain't any harm in speakin' of it
now.' And then she told me the story I'm tellin' you.

"She said she went over that mornin' bright and early, and there was
Mary sittin' on the back porch, sewin'. The house was all cleaned up,
and there was a big panful o' greens on the kitchen table, but not a
sign of a company dinner anywhere in sight. Jane Ann said Mary spoke
up as bright and pleasant as possible, and told her to set down and
rest herself, and she went on sewin', and they talked about this and
that for a while, and finally Jane Ann rolled up her sleeves, and says
she, 'I'm a pretty fast worker, Mis' Andrews, but a company dinner
ain't any small matter; don't you think it's time to begin work?'

"And Mary jest smiled and said in her easy way, 'No, Jane Ann, there's
not much to do. It won't take long for the greens to cook, and I want
you to make some of your good corn bread to go with 'em.' And then she
went on sewin' and talkin', and all Jane Ann could do was to set there
and listen and wonder what it all meant.

"Finally the clock struck eleven, and Mary rolled up her work, and
says she, 'You'd better make up your fire now, Jane Ann, and I'll set
the table. Harvey likes an early dinner.'

"Jane Ann said she expected to see Mary get out the best china and
silver and the finest tablecloth and napkins she had, but instead o'
that she put on jest plain, everyday things. Everything was clean and
nice, but it wasn't the way to set the table for a company dinner, and
nobody knew that better than Mary Andrews.

"Jane Ann said she saw a ham and plenty o' vegetables and eggs in the
pantry, and she could hardly keep her hands off 'em, and she did
smuggle some potatoes into the stove after she got her greens washed
and her meal scalded. She said she knew somethin' was wrong, but all
she could do was to hold her tongue and do her work. That was Jane
Ann's way. When Mary got through settin' the table, she went up-stairs
and put on her best dress. Trouble hadn't pulled her down a bit; and,
if anything, she was handsomer than she was the day she married. I
reckon it was her spirit that kept her from breakin' and growin' old
before her time. Jane Ann said she come down-stairs, her eyes
sparklin' like a girl's and a bright color in her cheeks, and she had
on a flowered muslin dress, white ground with spr