Did she ever listen through the constant sound of them steps, listen to hear the tread of them feet that she must know wuz a comin’ nigh to her—the icy feet that will approach us, if their way leads over rocks or roses?
Did she hate to hear them steps a comin’ nearer to her, or did she strain her ears to hear ’em, to welcome ’em? I thought like as not she did. For thinkses I to myself, and couldn’t help it, if she is a Christian she must be glad to change that old accordeun for a harp of any size or shape. For mournfuller and more melancholy sounds than her voice and that instrument made I never hearn, nor ever expect to hear, and thin.
Poor, old, hombly critter, I gin her quite a lot of change one day, and she braced up and sung and drawed out faster than ever, and thinner. Though I’d have gladly hearn her stop.
When I come up out of my revery, I see Ardelia lookin’ at her stiddy and kind a sot. And I mistrusted trouble wuz ahead on me, and I hurried Josiah down the street. Ardelia a sayin’ she had got to turn the corner, to go to another place for her 3d cousin.
Jest as we wuz a crossin’ a street my companion drawed my attention to a sign that wuz jest overhead, and sez lie, “That means me, I’m spoke of right out, and hung up overhead.”
And sez I, “What do you mean?”
Sez he, “Read it—‘The First Man-I-Cure Of The Day.’ That’s me, Samantha; I haint a doubt of it. And I s’pose I ort to go in and be cured. I s’pose probably it will be expected of me, that I should go in, and let him look at my corns.”
Sez I, “Josiah Allen, I’ve heerd you talk time and agin aginst big feelin’ folks, and here you be a talkin’ it right to yourself, and callin’ yourself the first man of the day.”
“Wall,” sez he firmly, “I believe it, and I believe you do, and you’d own up to it, if you wuzn’t so aggravatin’.”
“Wall, sez I mildly, “I do think you are the first in some things, though what them things are, I would be fur from wantin’ to tell you. But,” I continued on, “I don’t see you should think that means you. Saratoga is full of men, and most probable every man of ’em thinks it means him.”