“Are you going to the debate tonight?”
“Well, I really don’t know. Ask the old woman, she can tell you.”
“I don’t think we shall,” said she.
Again I asked: “How many of your cattle have died this winter?”
“Well, I really don’t know. Ask the old woman, she knows.”
“About half of what we had,” she replied.
Just then a troop of boys came running into the room. “Are these your boys?” said I.
“Don’t know. Ask the old woman, she knows.”
I did not wait to hear her reply. I said I wanted to be at the crossing before the Benton coach arrived and I put on my hat and walked out. Half a mile further I met two school girls, a big and a bigger one, and they looked as if they were very cold. I said very politely: “Young ladies, I will lend you this shawl; and you can return it to Mr. Steell’s store whenever convenient.”
“Humph!” replied the biggest girl, “I wouldn’t be found dead in the woods with that shawl on.”