She looked up with a pretty smile, but Mike spoke: “Sure, but they give all three parts to Nora,” he said, “so what was the use o’ dividin’ it? She thinks she’s me mither instead o’ me daughter!”
“I’ll put you to bed in a minute,” said Nora, while Mike grinned proudly at her.
“I’m going to like Mike,” said I to Bert, as we walked back up the road.
“I knoo yer would soon ez I seen yer,” Bert replied. “The only folks thet don’t like Mike is the folks thet can’t see a joke. Mike has a tolerable number o’ dislikers.”
“Well, I’ve got my farmer,” said I, “and now I suppose I’ve got to find a housekeeper, as soon as the house is ready to live in. Nora would suit me.”
“I reckon she would,” Bert replied, “but she wouldn’t soot Bentford.”
“In other words, I want an oldish woman, very plain, and preferably a widow?”
“With a young son old enough ter help on the farm,” Bert added with a grin.
“I don’t suppose you know of just that combination?”
“Reckon I dew. You leave it to my old lady.”