esday afternoon the children wus all to home on a inv

with 'em: they jest think their eyes of Cicely. And I could

for a day or two, and then go on to her aunt Mary's. But, as it

eat all how, if visitors get to comin', they'll keep a comin'? jest as it is if

a frog answerin' questions). I wus whitewashin' the kitchen, havin' put it off while Cicely wus there; and there wus a man to work a patchin' up the

t reely tell which, and I don't know as I care much; for I think, that, after you get by the 5th, it hain't much matter anyway. I sort o' pile 'em all i

th. So he come to make us a visit, and sort o' ellectioneer round. He wanted to get put in county judge; and so, t

tus wus brought up in a city) are a sort of a bother. They require so much, and give you the feelin', that, when you are a do

awful well acquainted with him; or, that is, I didn't, as it were, feel intimate. You know, when you don't see anybody from the time you are ba

and took every thing so peaceable and pleasant. And

visit, and on account of repairin' that had promised to be done by Josiah Allen, and delayed from week to week, and month to

ceilin, when I heard a buggy drive up to the door, and stop. And I stood still, and listened; and then I heard a awful katouse and rumpus,

able, cool and calm as a statue of Repose sculped out of marble, and most as white (I wus all cove

ose, bein' up on the table, the curchy showed off to better advantage than it would if I had been on the floor: it looked well. But I felt that I ort to shake hands with him; and, as I went to step

he spoke up so polite and courteous, that "it seemed to be first-rate whitewash: he never see better, whiter lime in his life, than that seemed to be." And then he sort o' felt of it between his

while he wus a comin' into the house. He said, with that calm, gentle smile, "that no sooner would he ge

ave told you, Josiah Allen, that some stranger would get killed

o, the first chanc

stronger constitution. He said of course the sheep and he hadn't met under the pleasantest of circumstances, and it wusn't over and above pleasant to be knocked down by it

the way you took the shee

ably made it a little harder for him jest at that time, as he wus stru

citement, "Did it s

ean senseless,

t I? Did it strike you

ghtnin'. He said it wus about the cleanest, quickest lightnin' he ever see. He said he

dn't ever been there a visitin' before, and I didn't want to put him to work. But he hung on, and nothin' to do but what he had got to take hold and whitewash. And I had to give up and let him; for I thoug

that he never done before, the whitewashin' looked like fury; but I done it all over after him, and

t; for I always think it is better manners, when visitors come unexpected, and ketch you in some mean job, to g

y hand,-the machine wouldn't work on it. And jest as quick as Elburtus had got so he could see out of that eye, nothin' to do but what he had got to go out and help Josiah cut that wheat. He had

d carried a jug of sweetened water and viniger and ginger out into the lot, and Elburtus had talked so polite an

deathly sick, for it went aginst his stomach from the first: he never loved it. And

hen he come in to supper! had

you drink it, when it went

e round his lips as any thing, "I didn't

d you ever, Josiah Allen, se

'd love to have anybody ketch me a drinkin' thre

ldly: "you hain

all tore up a repairing and I had to put him up-stairs: and the bed had been moved out by carpenters, to plaster a spot behind the bed; and, unbeknown to

, the minute he see what wus the matter, he jest ketched up the water-pitcher, and throwed the water over him; and bein' skairt and t

he wus, all drownded out, an

. Josiah said he could almost take his oath that he swore out as cross a oath as he ever heard swore the first minute before he got his eyes opened, but I believe he wus mistaken. But a

tead of jawin' or complainin', the first thing he said wuz, "What a splendid draft our stove must have, or else

siah where he got it, and if he had to pay any thing extra for that kind. He

to get his whiskers singed so, and how it wus a pure axident his lettin' the pitcher slip out of his hand, and he wo

or the best; he persumed they wus singed off in jest the shape he wanted 'em: and as for his nose, he wus always ashamed of it; it wus al

wn, I told him "I believed sunthin' would happen to that

an only himself, and he muttered sunthin' about "he

hear 110 such t

rtus Smith Gansey;" and says I, "If you try to

? I shall probable vote in the family;

pitch in the room, he didn't act withered any. And

on your side, Josiah Allen, you

h a thing, Samantha, as be

more words with him,

lburtus would get the nomination unanimous; for everybody that had seen him appear (and he had been all over the town appearing to 'em, and endearin' himself to 'em, cleer out beyond Jonesville as far as

t go and carry 'em to the man in Jonesville that wus goin' to do it, and help him file 'em. Josiah told him we wus goin' over towards night with the team, and could carry 'em as well as not; and he hadn't better try to help, filin' saws

tin' and a luggin', a loadin' a big barrell

sun is Elburtus

says, in

alt is heavy, and political life is wearin', when anybody goe

ink it wus a jo

lf, Josiah Allen; and you w

nin'," says he

p to help anybody. And see there," sa

ds. And the horses wus skairt by 'em, and wuz jest a liftin' Elburtus right up offen his feet. Why, they pranc

in the air. I never see the beat of his goodness. Why, we found out afterwards, that, besides filin' them saws, he h

Jonesville, and showed off such a beautiful demeanor and actions, why, we all thought that Philander's wive's brother would have got it. And I couldn't help feelin' kind o' sorry for him, though highly tickle

hat critter wus so awful clever that nothin' t

got through with it, to carry it to his son Philander's: and Philander had left word that he wanted it that mornin'; and he wanted it carried down to hi

had probable got in such a hurry to get there, that he had started on a foot, and he had better drive on, and he would overtake him. So finally he did; and he drove along clear to Jonesville, expectin' to overtake him every minute, and didn't. And the hull day passed off, and no Elburtus. And

er's friends, started the story that he wus arrested for s

to any thing. And then, Josiah's feelin' so strange about Elburtus made his eyes look kinder glassy and strange when they wus talkin' to him

almost unanimous. Wall, Josiah come home early, he wus so worried about Elburtus. He thought mebby h

rtus? Have you

did it seem to us, that that man had dissapeared right in broad daylight, jest as sudden and mysterious as if

rt-collar. But, oh! how strange and mysterious it did seem to be! We talked it over and over, and we could not think of any thing that could happen to him. He knew enoug

. We read of folks bein' translated up to heaven when they get too good for earth, and you know I have t

e, sort o' snappish, "that h

time as this," says I. "I have felt, when I see his actions when he wus knocked over by that shee

wuz unawares, enti

haff, and as full of ironry

in, that you will be sorry for such talk." Says I, "If it wus one of the relation on you

I should think it wus time to have a little sunthin

, Josiah Allen, in s

to eat," says he; "but there don

ler his tracks. The ground is kinder soft and spongy, and y

Daggets'es, to ca

gel man!

says Josiah. "Who

slate him besides chariots of fire. Who knows but what he has fell down

tracks, Samantha Allen, t

solid, even in such a time as this, I reasoned it right out, he wouldn't stir till he had sunthin' to eat, and so the sooner I got his supper, the sooner he would go and foller Elburtus'es tracks. So I didn't spend no mo

d become of Elburtus Smith Gansey? What had become of the relation on my side? Oh, the feelin's I

the west door, with my hand over my eyes, a watchin' him most every minute he wus gone. And when that man come back, he come a laughin'. And I wus that madded, to have hi

of the relation on your side?

asscend: he went up!" And agin he snickered

sunthin'. You know I said that, as one who allegores. If yo

agget's barn. He asscended, jest as I told you. He went up the ladder over the hay, to throw dow

ne it a purpose to keep Elburtus from the town-meetin', so his wive's brother would get the elec

did when he unlocked the barn-door to-night, and found Elburtus there. He said he felt as if he should sink, for he wus so afraid that some evil-minded person mig

mpudent creeter! As

w what I told you,-there is s

and I wouldn't give in a mite to Josiah Allen, and wouldn't want it repeated now so he coul

great case for fun, and he had laughed and tickled about Elburtus bein' so polite and helpful, and had made a goo

ter Elburtus had got down to the bar

n his fodder. And I s'pose then the idee come to him that he would shet him up, and keep him there till after 'lection wus over. For I don't believe a word about its bein' a axiden

t that Elburtus would have offered to carr

us up over-head, and locked him in there for the day. A mean

, he don't deny lockin' the door, but he says he wus to work on the outside of the barn, a

appened so, and on that day too. And he says what makes him feel the meanest is, to think it was his

ouldn't want it brought into court, anyway; for folks would be a wonderin' so what

way. And they say his wive's brother give him ten silver dollars for his h

ander went down to the barn to fodder, jest before Josiah went there, and let him out (and acted perfectly suprised and horrified at findin' him there, Philander did,

ou may say, and is now havin' a spell of enjoyments. I am sure, I hope so; for a cleverer, good-naturede