Harriet Elizabeth Prescott Spofford

“ As if there wa'n't nothin' else in the world but keepin' company! Your heart ain't so brittle. He loves himself. That's who! And it 'd be a great lift to him to git into our fam'bly. My brick's gittin' cold, Nancy. My feet are like the clods of the valley. Marry! How can you marry anybody, 'ith me on your han's!"
"He'd help. He'd be a reel son to you," sobbed Nancy, as she bent to find the brick.
"I've got a daughter. I don't want no sons of the Manley sort—always nine o'clock with them till it's ten! And I ain't one o' them that whiffles about, Nancy. ”

“ The freshness of upturned furrows came on the breath of the south wind blowing up rain, and the fragrance of the apple blossoms streamed round them in long wafts as they stood there hidden by the mists of the kindly night; and full of the invincible spirit of youth that feels its immortality, the earth was beautiful and life was sweet even in their trouble. ”

“ When Danny comes round wouldn't you better send a basketful to Mis' Ruggles? Them won't spile. I never could see why everybody don't hev an apple tree as much as a back door. They're motherly creeturs with their broodin' boughs. It makes me feel dretful bad to think of Johnny runnin' off to sea an' forsakin' Ann Mari'. It's mos' broke Mis' Ruggles down. Don't you forgit about sendin' the apples, Nancy. I declare to man, I do'no' w'at we done afore we hed the rural telephone. It's better'n rural free delivery ”

“ Every eye makes its own, ye know. And there's some thinks faculty's better 'n any show o' good looks. John Dacre did. Anyways, this young gel—they ain't called her by name—had faculty, an' had that, whatever it is, that makes folks set by her. Folks was fond on her—the minister, the deacon, the doctor—there was nobody that wa'n't. And of course there was some one wanted to marry her, an' she him. A fine feller, han'some, sober, forehanded, 'most a church member. An' the course o' true love, you know, never did run smooth ”

“ There wa'n't no reason why; but she did. An' she kerried her p'int. An' they said 'twas jes' like them thin's in outlandish stories—an old vampire gittin' the gel's life-blood—an' then somebody cut the phone off, an' the last thin' they said was that the gel was goin' in a gallopin' consumption. An' there ain't a cure known for gallopin' consumption! My Lord, Mis' Ruggles, what if it 'd be'n my Nancy!" And suddenly Mrs. Dacre stopped, her eyes, that had been welling with tears, shedding thorn like pearls as they opened wider and wider. ”

“ Then, living in the child, worshipping her, she began to love the children of others; and loving the children, their fathers and mothers grew dear, and so presently she ruled and mastered the small community through serving them. ”

“ Jes' give it here, Nancy, and I'm content."
The telephone was at the head of the bed. It was a recent acquisition in the little community, and regarded as a delightful toy with which one could not play too much.
The daughter took down the receiver and laid it on the pillow by her mother's ear. "I suppose it's all right," she said, hesitatingly, as she had said before.
"Of course it is!" was the swift reply. "If any one finds fault with a bedridden old woman for tryin' to keep along with the world, they can! ”

“ I vow to man—"
"I'm only speakin' to save you trouble, Mis' Dacre," said Mrs. Ruggles, laying the witch-hazel aside, as one making ready for a fray. "I come over a-purpose, at consider'ble pains. I have a lot to do, now Johnny's gone, and I mos' broke my back choppin' kindlin's, tel Saul Manley see me, an' come in the goodness o' his heart an' sawed an' split all my winter's wood, free gift. I thought you'd orter know."
"You're all right, Mis' Ruggles. But it's cruelty! That's what it is! It's small business to crowd an old woman this way. ”

“ Ruggles away, she crossed the room to the big chest of drawers, and found the various garments she wanted. "You jest toss that bed together, Phœbe, if you wanter help," she said. "There!" she exclaimed at last. "I guess I kin du without the phone. You tell the folks, Phœbe. A man in the house makes a consider'ble diffrunce. Now," she said, retracing her steps, "I'm clothed, and in my right mind. But I do feel wobbly. Where's the phone? Central! Gimme 9—0—9, ring three. I want the Elder."
"Mother! Mother!" cried Nancy, running in, breathlessly, her flat-iron holder in hand. ”

“ Dacre's ear. "Tut, tut!" she said. "It's only Mis' Monroe a-tellin' Mamy to wear her rubbers. Them sort o' no-account messages make me disappointed as I be when I'm readin' the paper if there ain't anybody I know in the deaths an' marriages. There! you won't never git to your work. I'm reel comf'able. Comf'able as I can be, I cal'klate. It does seem one o' the mysteries, when I useter be head of everythin' here, that I can't set foot to the floor—"
"P'r'aps you could, mother dear, if you tried."
"Nancy! You go right about your work! ”