he believed me, an' he always has, an' I was too! So I nussed him, but
I didn't make the job of it he did. You 'member he is pitted
considerable. He was so strong I jest couldn't keep him from
disfigerin' himself, but he tied me. I begged to be loose, an' he
wouldn't listen, so I got a clean face, only three little scars, an'
they ain't deep to speak of. He says he looks like a piece of side
meat, but say! they ain't nothin' the matter with his looks to me!

"The nuss man never did come, but the county doctor passed things in
the winder, till I was over the worst, an' Josiah sent for a preacher
an' he married us through the winder--I got the writin's to show, all
framed an' proper. Josiah said he'd see I got all they was in it long
that line, anyway. When I was well, hanged if he didn't perdooce a wad
from his clothes before they burnt 'em, an' he got us new things to
wear, an' a horse, an' wagon, an' we driv away here where we thought we
could start right, an' after we had the land, an' built the cabin, an'
jest as happy as heart could wish, long come a man I'd made mad once,
an' he tole everythin' up and down. Josiah was good about it. He
offered to sell the land, an' pull up an' go furder. 'What's the use?'
says I. 'Hundreds know it. We can't go so far it won't be like to
follow us; le's stay here an' fight it.' 'All right,' says Josiah, but
time an' ag'in he has offered to go, if I couldn't make it. 'Hang on a
little longer,' says I, every time he knew I was snubbed an' slighted.
I never tole what he didn't notice. I tried church, when my children
began to git a size I wanted 'em to have right teachin', an' you come
an' welcomed me an' you been my friend, an' now the others is comin'
over at last, an' visitin' me, an' they ain't a thing more I want in
life."

"I am so glad!" said mother. "Oh my dear, I am so glad!"

"Goin' right home an' tell that to Josiah," said Mrs. Freshett, jumping
up laughing and crying like, "an' mebby I'll jest spread wings and fly!
I never was so happy in all my life as I was Sunday, when you ast me
before all of them, so cordial like, an' says I to Josiah, 'We'll go
an' try it once,' an' we come an' nobody turned a cold shoulder on us,
an' I wa'n't wearin' specks to see if they did, for I never knowed him
so happy in all his days. Orter heard him whistle goin' home, an' he's
tryin' all them things he learned, on our place, an' you can see it
looks a heap better a'ready