He says he 's not only town
property, but he 's town talk 's well. He says Mrs. Craig stopped him in
the square 'n' asked him point-blank if he'd remembered to put on his
flannels day before yesterday.
"I tell you, Mrs. Lathrop, it's plain 't that man has suffered. If you
'd 'a' seen him, your heart would 'a' softened like mine did. 'N' him
such a neat little bald-headed man without any wishin' o' anybody
anythin'! I give him a lot o' sympathy. I told him 't I'd knowed what it
was to have a lot o' folks seem bound to marry you in the teeth o' your
own will. I told him the whole community was witness to how I was set
upon after father's death 'n' well-nigh drove mad. He said he wished he
had my grit 'n' maybe he'd make a try to fight like I did, but he said
he was beat out. He said if he is n't up 'n' the smoke pourin' out o'
his chimney at six sharp, all the single women in town is lined up in
front to know what's happened. He says if he was married, it goes
without sayin' 's they'd both be allowed to sleep in peace. He says if
he lights a candle at night, he hears of it next day. He said if he gets
a letter in a strange hand, it's all over town 's some strange woman 's
made his acquaintance. He says the whole world feels free to dust his
hat or w'isk his coat if he stops to chat a minute. He says, such bein'
the case, he 's made up his mind 't he's got to get married. He says he
's considered very carefully. He says he knows jus' the kind o' woman.
He says he 's been fretted, 'n' he don't never want to be fretted no
more.
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