The main thing in this world, Mary, is the work we do, the liftin', or tryin' to lift; the day's work we do in the harvest field of Endeavor.

And I spoze a few trousers more or less hain't goin' to count when we carry in our sheaves.

Though I must say to the last, Mary Walker, I could carry 'em easier in my dress than I could in yourn." [Illustration] In the heat of our good-natered conversation Mary had slipped her hand through my arm and neither of us noticed it, so wropped up wuz we in the topics under discussion, when I hearn Blandina's voice behind me sayin', "Oh, what a noble lookin' man Aunt Samantha is talkin' to and how affectionate actin'; how sweet it will be to meet him." And then I hearn a sharp raspin' voice clost to me sayin': "Sir, I will thank you to onhand my wife!" I wouldn't hardly have knowed my pardner's voice, such burnin' anger showed in it and wuz depictered on his liniment as I turned round and faced him.

And he went on: "Samantha, have I lived with you most a century to be deceived in you now ?" His turrible emotions had onhinged his reasonin' faculties, we hain't lived together so long as that, but I didn't dane to argy, I only sez with calm dignity: "Miss Walker, this is my pardner, Josiah Allen." "_Miss_!" sez he in a overbearin' axent, "_Miss_ Walker!" He looked as if he thought it wuz a conspiracy hatched up between us to deceive him.
"Yes," sez I coolly, "Miss Walker, Dr.Mary Walker." "Oh!" sez Josiah, in his surprise and relief not offerin' to bow or shake hands or nothin'.

"Dear Samantha, I've hearn on her." And he turned and linked his hand in my other arm so for a minute we looked like three twins perambulatin' along.