I believe," she asserted, "that David 'd 'a' stayed the thing out if it hadn't ben fer me; but as true 's you live, Cynthy Cullom, I was so 'shamed at the little 't I did see that when I come to go to bed I took my clo'es off in the dark." David threw back his head and roared with laughter.

Mrs.Bixbee looked at him with unmixed scorn.

"If I couldn't help makin' a----" she began, "I'd----" "Oh, Lord! Polly," David broke in, "be sure 'n wrap up when you go out.
If you sh'd ketch cold an' your sense o' the ridic'lous sh'd strike in you'd be a dead-'n'-goner sure." This was treated with the silent contempt which it deserved, and David fell upon his dinner with the remark that "he guessed he'd better make up fer lost time," though as a matter of fact while he had done most of the talking he had by no means suspended another function of his mouth while so engaged.
For a time nothing more was said which did not relate to the replenishment of plates, glasses, and cups.

Finally David cleaned up his plate with his knife blade and a piece of bread, and pushed it away with a sigh of fullness, mentally echoed by John.
"I feel 's if a child could play with me," he remarked.

"What's comin' now, Polly ?" "The's a mince pie, an' Injun puddin' with maple sugar an' cream, an' ice cream," she replied.
"Mercy on us!" he exclaimed.