She
says 't she ain't had no bother a _tall_. She says 't she whipped
Josephus nine times the day 't she took him home with her, 'n' since
then she's taught him to read 'n' write 'n' sew patchwork 'n' beat up
batter. She says 'f she'd 'a' had Henry Ward Beecher he wouldn't 'a'
roamed but once, nor would little Jane 'a' give but one suck, nor Fox
but one yell, nor would Augustus 'a' throwed but one cat down _her_
well. Mrs. Craig was standin' right there, 'n' she spoke up pretty
sharp at that 'n' said 't he hadn't throwed but one cat in her well
'n' she wanted that distinctly understood. Mrs. Jilkins jus' laughed,
but then some one up 'n' told her about the minister bein' gone f'r
good, 'n' she very quickly changed her tune.
"That blow 's goin' to fall heaviest on Mrs. Sperrit, though, for
she's got the five littlest ones 's well 's Bobby, 'n' I miss my guess
'f she don't have another to-morrow, for Mrs. Brown says 't she's
goin' to send Henry Ward Beecher out there of an errand jus' so 's to
see if he'll sleep after a ten-mile walk, 'n' every one knows 't she's
jus' doin' it in the hope 't Mrs. Sperrit 'll keep him."
"Let's go out--" Mrs.
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