Page:Samantha on Children's Rights.djvu/265

 "They wuz not all to appear in Fancy Dress, it wuz for the young mostly, the aged were not expected to appear in costume."

And that madded Josiah more than ever; he duz want to appear young; he don't grow old as graceful as I could wish, and he hollered out:

"Where are your aged folks? I don't see any. I am in the prime of life myself, and, as for Samantha, she don't have to wear a cap, anyway."

"No, Moseer," sez she, real polite, but she contended firm as iron, bein' my friend, as I could see, that "Madam and Moseer would not be expected to appear in costoom."

"Well, Modom can do as she is a mind to," sez he, mocking the girl's way of pronouncin' Madame, and It did sound some like swearin', but I didn't mind, "Modom can do as she is a mind to, but I am goin' in costoom."

But I whispered to him and sez, "When perfect strangers warn you for your good, Josiah Allen, mebby you'll listen to 'em if you won't to me. I won't put down the words he replied to me in a savage whisper, nor his answer to my arguments, no it hain't best, he is my pardner, and I took him for better or worse, and why should I flinch when the worst appears? No, I will pass over the time till I got him subsided in a big arm-*chair by my side (no wonder he wuz tired) readin' a portion of his World that he had brung up in his hand.

The girl looked feelin'ly at me as he sot there, still mutterin' occasionally, and she went out, and a little while after a waiter appeared with a tray full of good vittles, splendid. Whether that girl is married or single, she knows men's naters and what is the soothinest