“’T is upside down,” said Billy’s father.
“Now ’t is one-sided,” says Uncle J., “like the colt’s blinders.”
“’T was never meant for my head,” says Grandmother.
“Send for Phebe,” says Uncle J.
But “Phebe” was coming. There was a great chattering outside, and the door opened, and in came Aunt Phebe, laughing, and her three great girls laughing too, with their red cheeks, and their great braids of hair tied up in red bow-knots of ribbon. And they all went to kissing Billy.
And then says Aunt Phebe, “What in the world are you doing to your grandmother? A regular milliner’s cap, if I breathe! Well done, Grandmother! Here, let me give it a twist. It’s hind side before. What do boys know? or men either? What are all these kinds of strings for?”
“The great ones to hang down, and the little ones to tie up,” says Billy.
The girls stood by to pick the bows apart, and fuzz up the ruffles where they were smashed in; and Billy’s father and Uncle Jacob, they sat and laughed.