[240]
same men who get us into trouble will change their course; and yet it's pretty plain if some change for the better is not made, it's not long that either Peggy or I or any of us will have a cow left to milk, or calf's tail to wring.
Yours truly,
Rebecca--.
Within a week another epistle from Aunt Rebecca appeared, in which among other things, she offered the gallant Shields her hand. This one was written by Miss Todd and Miss Jayne. I insert it without further comment:
I was a-standin‘ at the spring yesterday a-washin‘ out butter when I seed Jim Snooks a-ridin‘ up towards the house for very life, when, jist as I was a-wonderin‘ what on airth was the matter with him, he stops suddenly, and ses he, “Aunt ‘Becca, here's somethin‘ for you;” and with that he hands out your letter.
Well, you see, I steps out towards him, not thinkin‘ that I had both hands full of butter; and seein‘ I couldn't take the letter, you know, without greasin‘ it, I ses, “Jim, jist you open it, and read it for me.”
Well, Jim opens it and reads it; and would you believe it, Mr. Editor, I was so completely dumbfounded and turned into stone that there I stood in the sun a-workin‘ the butter, and it a-running on the ground, while he read the letter, that I never thunk what I was about till the hull on't run melted on the ground and was lost.
Now. sir, it's not for the butter, nor the price of the butter, but, the Lord have massy on us, I wouldn't have sich another fright for a whole firkin of it. Why, when I found out that it was the man what Jeff seed down to the fair that had demanded the
