Now that Mr. Hammond
has invited me to go along with him--"
Captain Obed interrupted. "Hello! Hello!" he exclaimed. "What's this?
Has Caleb Hammond offered to go gallivantin' off to the Ostable Cattle
Show along with you, Hannah? Well, well! Wonders'll never cease. Caleb's
gettin' gay in his old age, ain't he? Humph! there'll be somethin' else
for the postoffice gang to talk about, first thing you know. Hannah, I'm
surprised!"
Miss Parker colored and seemed embarrassed. Her brother, however, voiced
his disgust.
"Surprised!" he repeated. "Huh! That's nuthin' to what I am. I'm more'n
surprised--I'm paralyzed. To think of that tightfisted old fool lettin'
go of money enough to hire a horse and team and--"
"Kenelm!" Hannah's voice quivered with indignation. "Kenelm Parker! The
idea!"
"Yes, that's what I say, the idea! Here's an old critter--yes, he is
old, too. He's so nigh seventy he don't dast look at the almanac for
fear he'll find it's past his birthday. And he's always been so tight
with money that he'd buy second-hand postage stamps if the Gov'ment
wouldn't catch him. And his wife's been dead a couple of hundred year,
more or less, and yet, by thunder-mighty, all to once he starts in--"
"Kenelm Parker, you stop this minute! I'm ashamed of you. Mr. Hammond's
a real, nice, respectable man. As to his money--well, that's his
business anyhow, and, besides, he ain't hirin' the horse and buggy; he's
goin' to borrow it off his nephew over to the Centre.
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