Mr. Baker gave a short laugh.
“Wall, that depends.”
“Oh, does it? I thought folks had to love their wives, ‘n’ be sorry when they died.”
Here Mr. Baker laughed again. He made no other answer for several minutes. At last he said:
“I was sorry enough when my wife died.”
A great pile of quartered apples was heaped up in the wooden bowl before either spoke again.
Then Ann exclaimed with a piteous intensity:
“Oh, I’m awful tired of bein’ Aunt Mandany’s fool!”
Mr. Baker stamped his foot involuntarily.
“How jew know they call you that?” he cried in a great voice.