"I be happy!" sez she.
Sez I, "I spoze you are still a-sellin' the same old book, the 'Wild, Wicked, and Warlike Deeds of Man'?"
She kinder blushed, and, sez she, "No; I have took up a new work."
"What is it?" sez I, for she seemed to kinder hang back from tellin', but finally she sez, "It is the 'Peaceful, Prosperous, and Precious Performances of Man.'"
"Wall," sez I, "I'm glad on't. Men should be walked round and painted on all sides to do justice to 'em.
"'Im real glad that you're a-goin' to canvas on his better side, Arvilly."
"Yes," sez she, "men are amiable and noble creeters when you git to understand 'em."
The change in her mean and her sentiments almost made my brain reel under my slate-colored straw bunnet, and my knees fairly trembled under my frame.
And, sez I, "Arvilly, explain to a old and true friend the change that has come onto you."