THE INDIAN QUESTION
And then I thought a sight about Penn; how firm his scalp always stood, how peaceful his frontiers was, and I wondered if there would be so much Injun difficulty if the spirit of honesty, justice, and truth, that he showed to the Injuns, could be showed to ’em now. Anyway, as I sot there, I wished eloquently to myself, that when he ascended to the Heavens prepared for just men, his mantilly could have fell onto the men who make our laws, and could be wore now in Washington by them, and laid gracefully accrost the Injun Buro.
I was just a thinkin’ this to myself when I see a dretful pleasant lookin’ lady come and set down on a bench only a little ways from me. She had such a good look onto her that I says to a man who happened to be a goin’ by where I sot, “Can you tell me who that lady is?” “Mrs. Ulysses Grant,” says he. “Not she that was Julia Dent?” says I. “Yes,” says he. I walked right up to her and says I—holdin’ out my hand in a warm and affectionate manner:
“How do you do, Julia? I am highly tickled to see you; how does the baby do—and how does Mr. Dent’ses folks do? Are they all so as to be about?” says I, “I am Josiah Allen’s wife.”
“Oh!” says she, “I have heerd my husband speak of you.” And she shook hands with me, and made room on the bench for me to set down by her.
“Yes,” says I, “I rescued him when he called for peace and couldn’t find it; I had the honor of savin’ him from pain and Betsey Bobbet.” I thought I would explain it to her, though she didn’t act jealous a mite. But it is always best to explain to wimmen jest what business you and her pardner have been talkin’ about.’ It may save some bad feelin’ towards you, and some curtain lectures for him.
Says I, “I had a talk with your husband in the cause of Right, and advised the Nation promiscously through him. But there was several other things I wanted to say, but I see he was gittin’ hungry, and so, of course, fractious and worrysome, and I stopped in a minute, for I well know there is a time to advise men, and a time to refrain from it.” Says I, “Wimmen who have had a man to deal with for any length of time, learn to take advantage of times and seasons.”
I see by her looks she didn’t want no tutorin’ on that subject—she haint nobody’s fool. Says she, “What did you want to speak to my husband about?”
Says I, “I wanted to talk to him more about the Injuns.”
Says she, “My husband has honestly tried to do the best he could with ’em.”