Lathrop, I'm that hot 'n' tired 'd it 'd take a long sight more
'n you to keep me any longer, so I 'll say good-bye 'n' go."
* * * * *
On Monday the thermometer bounded higher than ever. It was wash-day
too, which rendered one half of the community infinitely hotter yet.
As the burden of the minister's vacation fell upon the same half that
the washing did, one might have looked for very little friendly
exchanging of personal trials on the evening that followed such a
trying day. Susan felt such to be the case and concluded not to try
and go down town. Mrs. Lathrop took two or three wilted clovers, and
sat on her steps and chewed submissively after tea,--too much overcome
even to waft a questioning glance across the interim of parched grass
which stretched between her kitchen stoop and that of her friend; but
the latter saw her sitting there and felt a keen, remorseful stab.
"I guess I 'll go down in the square f'r jus' five minutes," she
called to the dejected figure, and forthwith sallied out to the
conflict.
The five minutes stretched to an hour, and Mrs. Lathrop was frankly
asleep when her vigil was terminated by her neighbor's return.
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