“We can’t help it,” said Joshua stolidly. “We’re here to mind her. If she wants to go to New York, or to change her will, all we’ve got to do is to be simple witnesses.”
“She don’t want Miss Arethusa telegraphed,” said Lucinda.
“I don’t blame her,” said Joshua; “if I was her and if I was goin’ to New York I wouldn’t want no one telegraphed.”
“She wants her trunk out of the attic.”
“Then she’ll get her trunk out of the attic. When does she want it?”
“She wants it now.”
“She’s goin’ to the city all alone!’ Lucinda’s voice suddenly proclaimed behind him.”
“Then she’ll get it now,” said Joshua. From the general trend of this and other remarks of Joshua the reader will readily divine why he had been in Aunt Mary’s employ for thirty years, and had always been characterized by her as “a most sensible man,” and anyone who had seen the alacrity with which the trunk was brought and the respectful attention with which Aunt Mary’s further commands were received would have been forced to coincide in her opinion.