"'We don't eat as hearty as some,' says Mame. 'We don't insist on warm suppers. We feel at our house we have to keep our bills down.'
"Mis' Merriman straightened up, real brittle.
"'My gracious,' she says, 'I guess I live as cheap as the best does.'
"'I see you buying shelled nuts, just the same,' says Mis' Holcomb, 'when shellin' 'em with your fingers cost twenty cents off.'
"'I ain't never had my store-buyin' criticised before,' says Mis' Merriman, elbows back.
"'Nor,' says Mis' Holcomb, bitter, 'have I ever before, in my twenty-six years of married life, ever been called dressy.'
"Then Mis' Toplady, she sort of shouldered into the minute, big and placid and nice-feeling.
"'Mame,' she says, 'set over here where you can use the lead-pencil on my watch chain, and put down that crochet pattern I wanted, will you?'
"Mame come over by her and took the pencil, Mis' Toplady leaning over so's she could use it; but before she put the crochet pattern down, Mame made one, experimental, on the stiff bottom of her work-bag, and Libby Liberty thought she'd make a little joking.
"'S-sh-h,' says Libby, 'the authoress is takin' down notes.'