Joe had been a widower for a year. His wife, after being the mother of eleven children, who now supported Joe in his drunkenness, had passed away.
Then Joe burst into tears.
“What's up, Joe?” asked Jud kindly.
“Liza's dead,” he wailed.
“Why, she's been dead a year,” said Jud.
“Don't keer, Jud—I'm jes'—jes' beginnin' to feel it now”—and he wept afresh.
It was too much for Charley Biggers, and he also wept. Travis looked fixedly at the ceiling and recited portions of the Episcopal burial service. Then Jud wept. They all wept.
“Gentlemen,” said Travis solemnly, “let us drink to the health of the departed Mrs. Hopper. Here's to her!”
This cheered all except Joe Hopper—he refused to be comforted. They tried to console him, but he only wept the more. They went on drinking and left him out, but this did not tend to diminish his tears.
“Oh, Mister Hopper, shet up,” said Jud peremptorily—“close up—I've arranged for you to marry a grass-widder.”