'Hush, John, ye mustn't swar so; ye knows how often ye've said ye wouldn't.'
'Wal, I du, an' I won't agin, by—.' But Sukey, whar's th' young uns?'
'Out in the lot, I reckon; but ye mustn't holler'm in—they'r all dirt.'
'No matter for that, madam,' I said, 'dirt is healthy for little ones; rolling in the mud makes them grow.'
'Then ourn orter grow right smart, fur they'r in it allers.'
'How many have you, madam?'
'Two; a little boy, four, and a little gal, six.'
'They're of interesting ages.'
'Yas, the' is int'restin'; ev'ry uns own chil'ren is smart; but the' does know a heap. John was off ter Charl'ston no great while back, an' the little boy used ter pray ev'ry mornin' an' ev'nin' fur his fader ter cum hum. I larned 'em thet jest so soon as the' talked, 'cause thar's no tellin' how quick the' moight be tooken 'way. Wal, the little feller prayed ev'ry mornin' an' ev'nin' fur his fader ter cum back, and John didn't cum; so finarly he got sort o' provoked with th' Lord, an' he said God war aither deaf an' couldn't har or he war naughty an' wouldn't tell fader thet little Johnny wanted to seed 'im 'werry mooch,'' and here the good lady laughed pleasantly, and I joined in most heartily.
Blessed are the children that have such a mother!