I heard him rattling on, but did not seem to understand what he said; but I felt my heart beating fast and the blood coming to my cheeks. The old dead submissiveness was gone, and I said:
“John, shut up, and repeat to me what you said first.”
“Nothin’,” said John, “only that your father have bust and run off to Canada, and C. J. Hummer and the rest is goin’ to bounce you out next week.”
I saw his grieved tone, or felt it rather, and said:
“John, I did not mean to speak cross to you.”
“Never mind, missis, I have no favors to ax, and you couldn’t grant eny even if I did—for your father have bust, dwye see?”
Mother was coming from the monument, and greatly vexed, I saw.
“Why, Smythe has not put any foundation under it at all scarcely,” she said, as she stepped into the carriage. “The weight on top is gradually crushing the bottom, and I believe it is full six inches toppled over to the west.”
“It is probably going west to grow up with the country,” I said.
Think of such a remark from a dying invalid!