“How did you get holt of that idee?” sez I, sternly.
“History,” sez he. “I read a good deal that I never told you about.”
“I should think as much,” sez I. And I sez further,—
“Get that idee out of your head to once, Josiah Allen. George Washington never see this furnace: it wuz made sense his time.”
“George Washington’s hired man kicked at it.”
But Josiah contended it wuz so, and left the room mad as a hen to think I wouldn’t give in with him.
And in less than ten minutes up he hurried with another idee in his head. And sez he the first thing,—
“More proof, Samantha! in takin’ the furnace apart we have found the old rim that Washington’s folks used with his potash-kettle, all broke to pieces and wired together.”
Sez I, “I don’t believe it. I don’t believe a word of it.”