He sat there 'n' drank tea very happy for a long spell. Seemed
like it sort o' thawed him out, 'n' finally he begin to talk about
_her_, 'n' once he got started on that he never quit. I ironed curtains
'n' listened 'n' let him talk. It was n't long afore he begin to show
the disadvantages o' bein' dead, for he said as he was always the
practical one of them both, 'n' he'd never have dared say that with old
Mrs. Ely on top of the earth. I was amused at his sayin' it anyhow, with
the Virginia creeper graftin's there in a tomato-can bearin' witness
agin him, but I didn't say nothin'. He asked me if I'd believe as she
was really a very fair-lookin' girl when they was married. I couldn't
but stop at that 'n' ask him if it was ever possible as her nose was
ever any different, 'n' he had to say 'No, not any different;' 'n' I can
assure you as he set 'n' rubbed his chin with his hand a long time
afterwards 'n' then drew a big breath 'n' said 'No, not any different.'
I felt to respect his feelin's 'n' did n't say nothin', 'n' after a
while he went on an' said that they was very happy married on the whole,
'n' then he rubbed his chin with his hand a nother long while 'n' said
over again 'on the whole.' He asked me then if I ever heard how he came
to marry her first 'n' I said as I always hear as it was to get the
farm. He kind of flared up at that 'n' said there never was nothin' agin
her but her nose, 'n' at that I took a fresh iron 'n' said he asked me a
plain question 'n' I give him a plain answer, which, considerin' his
horse 'n' my clothes-pole 'n' her nose, was all as could in reason be
expected of me.
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