he was sittin' in the little shady parlor, jus' softly rockin' back 'n'
forth, readin' a book as told why the Dead Sea 's dead. Well, Hannah
said no words could tell how much madder she got when she got right in
front o' him--to see a able-bodied man rockin' 'n' readin' Dead Seas on
top of a empty cistern. Hannah was never one to keep her own counsel in
the face of her own feelin's, you know, 'n' she jus' went right up in
front of Rufus 'n' said as calm as she could, 'Mr. Timmans, where's the
water for the wash to come from?' Gran'ma Mullins said Hannah always
said as she tried to stay calm but she give out young, 'n' the sight o'
Rufus liftin' his superior eyes jus' did for her. She put her two hands
on her two hips, an' let out right then 'n' there, 'Mr. Timmans,' she
says, 'you was so sure 't there was a rat drowned in the cistern,' she
says, 'that nothin' mus' do but you mus' clean it out,' she says; ''n'
there wa'n't no rat,' she says, ''n' it ain't rained since,' she says,
''n' how're we to wash?' she says,--'n' then she waited to see what he
would say, 'n' she said a lamb would o' begun to hop about 'n' yowl with
mad to see how kind of calm 'n' dazed like 'n' altogether peaceful 'n'
happy he looked up at her. 'N' he says, quite placid 'n' contented,
'Can't you get some water out o' the pond?' he says. 'Out o' the pond!'
says Hannah, high-keyed like,--Gran'ma Mullins says Hannah always went
high-keyed easy,--'out o' that muddy, swampy, slimy, marshy, cow-churned
pond,' says Hannah, 'out o' that nasty, dirty, filthy, green pond,' says
Hannah, gettin' high-keyeder 'n' high-keyeder. 'I can get it clean for
you,' says Rufus, a-openin' the Dead Sea 'n' runnin' his eyes aroun' for
his place,--'jus' say when you want it,' he says. Well, Gran'ma Mullins
said Hannah always said as she never knowed what kept her off him at
that minute, for she was that mad she felt like the righteous judgment
o' the Lord was in the ends of her very finger-nails. '_Now_,' she says,
'right _now_,' she says; 'that's when I want it,' she says. Rufus looked
up 'n' see she was in earnest, 'n' she says the way he sighed like he
was a martyr as led the band was enough to have ended her patience once
'n' for all time if it had n't been for the wash, 'n' then he carefully
turned a leaf down in the Dead Sea 'n' got out o' the rocker 'n' went
'n' got Nathan Lumb 'n' they went off together.
"Well, Gran'ma Mullins said Hannah begun to wait, 'n' Hannah waited
until if Hannah had waited any longer she 'd have gone off like a
rocket, she was that mad again. Gran'ma Mullins said Hannah always got
so red she got purple if she only was rememberin' it after. 'N' in the
end she could n't stand it no longer 'n' she set off for the pond
herself. She always said as she just hoped 'n' prayed as they was both
on 'em drowned all the way there, but the Lord in his mercy was n't
seein' fit to deal out no such luck, 'n' she found the pond there an'
Rufus 'n' Nathan gone.
"'N' what do you suppose she see, Mrs. Lathrop; what _do_ you suppose
she see? You never heard the like, 'n' the whole wagon of us could n't
but feel as it was maybe just as well as we was on our way to Rufus's
funeral, for we _never_ could have faced him in real life after hearin'
such a tale.
"Seems there was the pond 'n' there was the edge o' the pond, 'n' there
was two barrels as Rufus 'n' Nathan had set close to the edge. One o'
the barrels was empty 'n' one was full o' dirty swamp-water, 'n' Rufus's
superior mind had hung a old piece o' carpet from one barrel over into
the other so it could suck up dirty water 'n' drip off clean, 'n' mebbe
if the sun did n't shine too hard Hannah 'd have a pail o' clean water
come Hallowe'en. 'N' the wash waitin'!
"Mr. Jilkins said as that was jus' what might o' been expected o' Rufus.
He'd like to observe the theery 'n' he would n't care about the wash.
Gran'ma Mullins said it did the business for Hannah, though. She never
could make up her mind to take Dr. Lumb before on a'count o' his
swearin' so, but she made up her mind as anythin' as 'd rid her o' Rufus
'n' give her a chance to boss Nathan 'd fill her bill after that, 'n'
she went up that very night 'n' told Dr. Lumb, as if he still wanted
her, she was prepared to be took. He wanted her 'n' he took her, 'n' she
was to the funeral to-day with Nathan 'n' his two boys, all of 'em
brushed so slick you could see with half a eye as Hannah had got a deal
o' satisfaction out o' them all these years since.
"She come over to sit beside Gran'ma Mullins 'n' talked a little while.
She said Bessy Timmans was bearin' Rufus's loss mos' bravely, 'n' her
daughter Betty was come home 'n' brought the baby to comfort her. Hannah
said as Betty was a very sweet young woman. She said she never forgot
the day when she was only four years old, 'n' asked right out why the
family had to be so proud o' Rufus. Hannah said her mother shut her up
quick, but it was plain to be seen as that child had eyes for them as
could hear, 'n' was pretty quick at sizin' up Rufus.
"It was a awful big funeral. Folks was there from all over. I drove out
to the graveyard with old Dr. Lumb 'n' Dr. Cogswell from the city. The
other one was Susy Carter, 'n' she's so deaf all I could do was to
listen to the front seat. Dr. Cogswell said as it was a great pity that
a superior man like Rufus Timmans should have had to live his life out
on highways 'n' edges by circumstances probably beyond his control. Dr.
Lumb said yes, a small community like Meadville could n't never offer
nothin' like a addykit scope to a brain like Rufus's. He said he was
surprised as Rufus's brain had managed to scratch along as well as it
had under the circumstances. He said, with the exception of himself
Rufus had never had no one to really talk to. He said, to be frank, he
would in confidence remark to Dr. Cogswell as Bessy Timmans was a very
inferior person an' no ways up to Rufus. He said as he should n't be
personally surprised to know as her feelin's towards Rufus partook more
of a element of impatience than of admiration. He said as one night when
he was there he was most dumbfounded to see how little attention she
paid with Rufus discoursin' on trilobites 'n their relations to the
cursory strata. Dr. Cogswell sighed 'n' said he was afraid he'd have to
admit as he feared that was mebbe only too likely to be true. He said he
felt a sadness because every trilobite as was related by Rufus was of
profound value to any scientific student. He said Rufus was one at whose
feet them as is learned could easy sit and learn some more. He said
Rufus ought to o' gotten out in the world thirty years ago,--but then he
sighed again, 'n' said probably circumstances as no one knowed nothing
of probably chained him here. It was easy to see as Dr. Lumb had a awful
high opinion o' Rufus, but that 'd be only natural, him bein' married to
Hannah as was so dead set agin' him, 'n' he shook his head then 'n' said
as he believed as Dr. Cogswell had guessed pretty nigh to the truth. He
said he knowed as Bessy was born in Meadville, 'n' as her property was
there 'n' he said his own opinion was that with the shortsightedness
common to her sex she had chained the eagle so as she might stay among
her little circle o' petty friendships, 'n' so the noble bird had worn
his soul away in captivity, so to speak.
"Dr. Cogswell said 'Ah!' 'n' then they both shook their heads together
'n' sighed together.
"Hannah did n't go out to the grave. She stayed with Bessy. She took me
into the pantry afore we left 'n' said as the spirit o' relief hoverin'
in the house was beyond all belief. She said Betty was goin' to take her
mother home with her when she went. She said Betty said as she could
come back to Meadville whenever she liked, but she said as Bessy said
she'd never want to come back. Hannah says Bessy told her as all she
asked was to live out her days some place where she 'd never have to
hear again what a very superior man Rufus was.
"I stood aroun' an' talked with a lot more folks. The general feelin'
was as it was a great honor to be buryin' Rufus, but nobody knowed just
why. I thought about it comin' home a-jouncin' along over them walnuts.
(My, but they was hard!) The truth seems to be as there 's some folks
born to be superior 'n' to know as they're superior, 'n' other folks
born to admire 'em, 'n' neither set sees jus' why."
"I--" said Mrs. Lathrop.
"Well, as long as you say so I may as well admit as I was thinkin' that
very thing myself," said Susan; "but far be it from me to have said such
a thing myself _of_ myself, Mrs. Lathrop--but as long as _you_ say it I
can't but remark as no one in their senses could deny its bein' true o'
me."
"I--" said Mrs. Lathrop.
"Oh, that's your misfortune," said Miss Clegg, graciously; "there ain't
no need of apologizin' to a old friend like me. 'N' anyway, Mrs.
Lathrop, I guess nobody could n't tell _me_ nothin' about your
inferiorities--not after livin' next to you all the years as I have; but
you know me, 'n' you know as nothin' ever changes my feelin's towards a
friend--not even towards such a friend as you, Mrs. Lathrop."
Mrs. Lathrop was silent.
* * * * *
Other books by Anne Warner
THE REJUVENATION OF AUNT MARY
Always amusing and ends in a burst of sunshine.--_Philadelphia
Ledger_.
Impossible to read without laughing. A sparkling, hilarious
tale.--_Chicago Record-Herald_.
The love story is as wholesome and satisfactory as the fun. In its
class this book must be accorded the first place.--_Baltimore Sun_.
The humor is simply delicious.--_Albany Times-Union_.
Every one that remembers Susan Clegg will wish also to make the
acquaintance of Aunt Mary. Her "imperious will and impervious
eardrums" furnish matter for uproarious merriment.... A book to
drive away the blues and make one well content with the worst
weather.--_Pittsburg Gazette_.
Cheerful, crisp, and bright. The comedy is sweetened by a
satisfying love tale.--_Boston Herald_.
SUSAN CLEGG AND HER FRIEND MRS. LATHROP
It is seldom a book so full of delightful humor comes before the
reader. Anne Warner takes her place in the circle of American woman
humorists, who have achieved distinction so rapidly within recent
years.--_Brooklyn Eagle_.
Nothing better in the new homely philosophy style of fiction has
been written.--_San Francisco Bulletin_.
Anne Warner has given us the rare delight of a book that is
extremely funny. Hearty laughter is in store for every
reader.--_Philadelphia Public Ledger_.
Susan is a positive contribution to the American characters in
fiction.--_Brooklyn Times_.
Susan Clegg is a living creature, quite as amusing and even more
plausible than Mrs. Wiggs. Susan's human weaknesses are endearing,
and we find ourselves in sympathy with her.--_New York Evening
Post_.
No more original or quaint person than she has ever lived in
fiction.--_Newark Advertiser_.
A WOMAN'S WILL
It is a relief to take up a volume so absolutely free from
stressfulness. The love-making is passionate, the humor of much of
the conversation is thoroughly delightful. The book is as
refreshing a bit of fiction as one often finds; there is not a dull
page in it.--_Providence Journal_.
It is bright, charming, and intense as it describes the wooing of a
young American widow on the European Continent by a German musical
genius.--_San Francisco Chronicle_.
A deliciously funny book.--_Chicago Tribune_.
There is a laugh on nearly every page.--_New York Times_.
Most decidedly an unusual story. The dialogue is nothing if not
original, and the characters are very unique. There is something
striking on every page of the book.--_Newark Advertiser_.
A more vivacious light novel could not be found.--_Chicago
Record-Herald_.