Irving Bacheller

“ She was telling a story when I rose and gave her my hand and said: "I will see you at the lecture."
"What would Myry say ef I went down thar 'fore all them grand ladies lookin' as I do?" said she.
"I am sure that Myra will ask you to come."
I went below stairs, and when my time had come to speak the parlors were crowded with a gay company of men and women in evening dress. I began my talk by saying:
"I have come here to tell you of certain great women whose labor and fortitude have made America, and I must begin by mentioning the most heroic woman I have known. ”

“ A SULTAN once sent his envoys abroad in the empire looking for a man worthy of the honor of the golden crescent. He was to be a man of courage and faith and wisdom and many friends. Two men were brought before the Sultan. ”

“ If I'd use tobacker, I'd be as strong as the other childern. Mammy were that bad a'ter tobacker that if thar wa'n't none in the house she'd be lookin' out o' the door every five minutes to see ef somebody were comin' who could give her a chaw. Down thar all the girls spit amber 'fore they was ten yur old but me.
"A'ter I were married I got sick, and they'd ask me, my mammy and the neighbors would, why I didn't use tobacker, and said I would be strong like the rest o' them ef I would, but I never could use hit."
"Could you save any money?" I asked.
"Never see no money," said she. ”

“ My son-in-law and one o' my boys went over to that still and got drunk las' Sunday, and they fit and fit and scratched eround twil they knocked the skin all off o' each other. They's got to be a stop to hit. Them stills has got to be druv out o' here, and me and you has got to do hit.'
"We started up the mount'in—jist as steep as that, jist like that, so steep—but we could ketch erlong with our sticks on the trees and bushes. And hit were the snowiest day I ever did see in my life. The fog froze on the timber twil 'twere perfectly awful lookin' to be out. ”

“ I give up and told Myry that I were jist ergoin' to stay in here, and she 'lowed 'twere best. Them proud people who have riches and riches would be plumb scared o' me. Myry is a grand, proud lady and as good as gold. She says I'd be more comf'table in my old home down in the mount'ins, and I reckon she's right. Everybody is stooped over down thar. The boys and girls be all gone erway. They've got proud and purty lookin' and be all educated so hit makes my head ache to visit 'em. ”

“ Plumb still and lonesome thar now, but I'll have some chickens and a cow and my Bible and my work and the little childern'll come playin' eround the door jist as they used to, and I'll play with 'em and scold 'em jist like the old days. The big boys and girls is all gone erway, but the little childern is still thar—every one of 'em. ”

“ Mount'in childern they get nothin' to eat but meat skins boiled up with onions and potaters, but they did grow big and fat and sassy. They could jist mortally do the work—them mount'in huggers! Meat skins? ”

“ I urged.
"I love to ravel hit out," she began as she went on with her knitting. "I've brought up twenty-two babies—nine o' my own, four o' mammy's, five o' my sister's, who died o' tyford fever, four o' my brother's, who was killed, and never had a doctor but onct.
"People don't care for childern so much these days. John's wife has only one sickly little girl. I crave for childern. When the last baby walked out o' my arms I felt kindy cold and lonesome. I were ershamed to open the door ef anybody come. ”

“ I want you to holp me hunt hit. I cain't git my man to holp me, so I be ergoin' to try and find hit.'
"Aunt Tildy ketched her breath. They cut up wild when they thought aryone were a'ter their stills. Onct they were a man come to take the senses o' the people, and Henry Slimp druv him erway at the p'int of a gun—they was so carritly o' strangers. ”