"We didn't have the worst of the upsetting."
"That's a fact. Well, she's gone, ain't she?"
"Who, Eliza Delamater? Yes; gone yesterday."
"And you hain't nobody else on hand, have ye?"
"No. Why?"
"Mother's took a lonesome fit. She says it's quite a spell that you hain't ben down our way; and I guess that's so, ain't it?"
"I couldn't help it, Joe. I have had other things to do."
"Well, don't you think to-day's a good sort for a visit?"
"To-day?" said Diana, shelling her peas very fast.
"You see, it's pretty silent down to our place. That is, when I ain't to hum; and I can't be there much o' the time, 'cept when I'm asleep in my bed. I'm off as soon as I've done the chores in the mornin'; and I can't get hum nohow sooner than to do up the chores in the evenin'; and the old lady has it pretty much her own way as to conversation the rest o' the time. She can talk to what she likes; but there ain't nothin' as can make a remark back to her."