"Or I wish I was independent and
had a house of my own."
"Huh! Gosh! So do I wish I had one. I've been wishin' it all the
mornin'. If I had a home of my own I'd have what I wanted to eat--yes,
and wear. And I'd have 'em when I wanted 'em, too."
"Don't they give you good things to eat over at Mrs. Barnes'?"
"Oh, they're good enough maybe, if they're what you want. But boardin's
boardin'; 'tain't like your own home."
"Caleb, it's a wonder to me you don't rent a little house and live in
it. You've got money enough; least so everybody says."
"Humph! What everybody says is 'most generally lies. What would be the
sense of my hirin' a house? I'd have to have a housekeeper and a good
one costs like thunder. A feller's wife has to get along on what he
gives her, but a housekeeper--"
He stopped short, seemingly struck by a new and amazing idea. Miss
Parker rambled on about the old days when "dear papa" was alive;
how happy she was then, and so on, with occasional recourse to the
handkerchief. Suddenly Caleb slapped his knee.
"It's all right," he said. "It's fine--and it's commonsense, too.
Hannah, what's the matter with you and me gettin' married?"
Hannah stared at him.
"Married!" she repeated. "Me get married! Who to, for the land sakes?
Are you out of your head?"
"Not a mite. What's the matter with you marryin' me?"
"My soul! Is this a funny-paper joke, or are you--"
"'Tain't a joke; I mean it. Is there any reason why we shouldn't marry
and settle down together, you and me? I don't see none.
Pages:
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275