I knew what a case he was to do his duty, and I groaned out, “There haint no use a tryin’ to stop him.”
“No,” says he, “there haint no use a arguin’ with me—I shall do my duty.” And he bust out into a awful laugh that almost choked him.
I knew there wouldn’t be no rest for me, while he stood there performin’ like a circus, and so says I in a strategim way—
“It seems to me as if I should like a little lemonade, Josiah, but the lemons are all gone.”
Says he, “I will harness up the old mare and start for Jonesville this minute, and get you some.”
But after he got out in the kitchen, and his hat on, he stuck his head into the door, and with a mournful countenance, snickered.
After he fairly sot sail for Jonesville, now, thinks I to myself, I will have a good nap, and rest my head while he is gone, and I had jest got settled down, and was thinkin’ sweetly how slow the old mare was, when I heerd a noise in the kitchen. And Tirzah Ann come in, and says she—
“Betsey Bobbet has come; I told her I guessed you was a goin’ to sleep, and she hadn’t better come in, but she acted so mad about it, that I don’t know what to do.”
Before I could find time to tell her to lock the door, and put a chair against it, Betsey come right in, and says she—
“Josiah Allen’s wife, how do you feel this mornin’?” and she added sweetly, “You see I have come.”