And that didn't count in the cost of their two dyspeptic boards, or their agony in sickness and sufferin', or their total loss of happiness and instruction at the Fair.
When we reckoned this up Drusilla come the nighest to disapprovin' of the Deacon's management that I ever knew her to.

She sez, and it wuz strong language for Drusilla Sypher to use-- Sez she, "If it had been any other man but Deacon Sypher that had done this, I should been mad as a hen.

But the Deacon is, as you well know, Josiah Allen's Wife, a wonderful man." "Yes," sez I, "Drusilla, I know it, and have known it for some time." She looked real contented, and then I sez-- "Josiah Allen had got his mind all made up to tent out durin' the Fair.
But I broke it up," sez I--"I broke it up in time!" At this very minit Josiah and Deacon Sypher come back to us, the Deacon a-limpin', and a-lookin' ten years older than when we last seen him in Jonesville.

And my pardner pert, and upright, and fat, under my management.
Wall, we four stayed together the rest of the day, a-lookin' at one thing and another.
And when we got home that night, lo and behold! Isabelle had come jest before we did.
And supper wuz all ready--or dinner, as they all called it; but I don't know as it makes much difference when you are hungry.

The vittles taste jest about the same--awful good, anyway.
We wuz pretty late, so there wuzn't anybody to the table but jest Isabelle and Josiah and me.
And we three had a dretful good visit with each other.