I drawed back and sez, "Sir!" (I thought it favored that gender most)
"Sir, I think you are mistook."
"Oh, no, you are Josiah Allen's wife; I am Dr. Mary Walker."
"Oh!" sez I in a relieved axent, as I returned the warm grasp of her hand, "I am glad to meet you, Mary."
She's done some good things in her life, takin' care of poor wounded soldiers, etc., and I honored her for 'em. Though I don't approve of her costoom, as I told her in the conversation that ensued, after we'd talked considerable about the Fair and kindred matters. For I see as we stood there behavin' ourselves, curious eyes wuz bent on her and onbecomin' epithets hurled at her by them who knowed no better. She seemed oblivious to 'em, but I asked her if she wouldn't rather wear less noticeable attire.
And she said she cared not for ribald remarks as long as her motives wuz pure.
And I said we could carry pure motives under a headdress of peacock's feathers standin' up straight over our foreheads, but wouldn't it be better to carry 'em under a bunnet?
"No better!" sez she. "Not a whit."
"Well, easier?" sez I. "Wouldn't it be easier for ourselves and bystanders?"
Sez she, "I care not for Public Opinion!"
"But," sez I, "as long as we've got to live clost neighbor to Public Opinion wouldn't it be easier for us to fall in with his idees a little on comparatively unimportant things than to keep him riled up all the time? It seems to me that if folks want to impress their personality on the world it is better to do it by noble deeds and words than by startlin' costooms."