I cheered her up all I could--I told her anyhow he could
n't give Polly a piece of his hair if he died for it. She smiled a weak
smile 'n' went on up to Mrs. Brown's. Mrs. Brown 's asked her to stay
with her a day or two. Mrs. Brown has her faults, but nobody can't deny
as she 's got a good heart,--in fact, sometimes I think Mrs. Brown's
good heart is about the worst fault she's got. I 've knowed it lead her
to do very foolish things time 'n' again--things as I thank my star I 'd
never think o' doin'--not in this world."
Mrs. Lathrop shifted her elbows a little; Susan withdrew at once from
the fence.
"I must go in," she said, "to-morrow is goin' to be a more 'n full day.
There 's Polly's weddin' 'n' then in the evenin' Mr. Weskin is comin'
up. You need n't look surprised, Mrs. Lathrop, because I 've thought the
subject over up 'n' down 'n' hind end foremost 'n' there ain't nothin'
left for me to do. I can't sell nothin' else 'n' I 've got to have
money, so I 'm goin' to let go of one of those bonds as father left me.
There ain't no way out of it; I told Mr. Weskin I 'd expect him at sharp
eight on sharp business, 'n' he 'll come. 'N' I must go as a
consequence. Good night."
PART FOURTH
MR. JILKINS'S HAT
Polly Allen's wedding took place the next day, and Mrs. Lathrop came out
on her front piazza about half past five to wait for her share in the
event.
The sight of Mrs. Brown going by with her head bound up in a white
cloth, accompanied by Gran'ma Mullins with both hands similarly treated,
was the first inkling the stay-at-home had that strange doings had been
lately done.
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