“What do you think is the reason, Josiah Allen?”
And he says, “It hain't always best to tell what you think. I hain't obleeged to,” says he.
And I says, “No. As the poet saith, nobody hain't obleeged to use common sense unless they have got it;” and I says, in a meanin' tone, “No, I can't obleege you to tell me.”
Wall, sure enough, the next day, jest as quick as he got that lumber drawed up to the house, Josiah Allen dressed up, and sot off for Jonesville, and come home at night as tickled a man as I ever see, if not tickleder.
And he says, “Now what do you think, Samantha Allen? Now what do you think about my ridin' on that pass?”
And I says, “Have you rode on it, Josiah Allen?”
And he says, “Yes, mom, I have. I have rode to Loontown and back; and I might have gone ten times as fur, and not a word been said.”
And I says, “What did the conductor say?”
And he says, “He didn't say nothin'. When he asked me for my fare, I told him I had a free pass, and I showed it to him. And he took it, and looked at it close, and took out his specks, and looked and looked at it for a number of minutes; and then he handed it back to me, and I put it into my pocket; and that wus all there was of it.”