It wuz a awful and skairful seen.

I couldn't blame Ury, but like Sara of old, I felt that I must stay by my stuff, and Rosy and Karen hung to each other, and both hung onto me, all on us tremblin' like three popple leaves.
Finally, jest as the three men come hurryin' back into the room to rescue or die with us I spoze, the boilin' water gin a louder, angrier roar, and riz up out of the tank three feet into the air and poured and steamed and deluged all over the floor.

Well wuz it I took up the carpet.

But Josiah Allen, to prove he feared no danger, had insisted on leavin' the dressin' gown he worshipped hangin' up in the clothes press where the tank wuz.

Alas! alas! as he brung it out drippin' and steamin' from the fiery bath, where wuz the once gay colors?
Them tossels and red palm leaves on yeller ground that had so lately been the light of his eyes and desire of his heart?
Who could tell which wuz palm leaves and which wuz yeller ground?
And as for the red tossels, their glory had departed forever.