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they go past； 'n' they eat as if they was famished。
Rube Hobson never was any kind of a pervider； 'n' he's
consid'able snug besides。〃
〃He ain't goin' to better himself much；〃 said Almira。
〃Eunice Emery ain't fit to housekeep for a cat。
The pie she took to the pie supper at the church was so tough
that even Deacon Dyer couldn't eat it； and the boys got holt
of her doughnuts； and declared they was goin' fishin' next day
'n' use 'em for sinkers。 She lives from hand to mouth Eunice
Emery does。 She's about as much of a doshy as Rube is。
She'll make tea that's strong enough to bear up an egg； most；
and eat her doughnuts with it three times a day rather than
take the trouble to walk out to the meat or the fish cart。
I know for a fact she don't make riz bread once a year。〃
〃Mebbe her folks likes buttermilk bread best； some do；〃
said the Widow Buzzell。 〃My husband always said； give him
buttermilk bread to work on。 He used to say my riz bread
was so light he'd hev to tread on it to keep it anywheres；
but when you'd eat buttermilk bread he said you'd got somethin'
that stayed by you； you knew where it was every time。
。 。 。 For massy sake！ there's the stage stoppin' at the Hobson's door。
I wonder if Rube's first wife's mother has come from Moderation？
If 't is； they must 'a' made up their quarrel； for there was a time
she wouldn't step foot over that doorsill。 She must be goin'
to stay some time； for there's a trunk on the back o' the stage。
。 。 。 No； there ain't nobody gettin' out。 Land； Hannah Sophia；
don't push me clean through the glass！ It beats me why they make winders
so small that three people can't look out of 'em without crowdin'。
Ain't that a wash…boiler he's handin' down？ Well； it's a mercy；
he's ben borrowin' long enough！〃
〃What goes on after dark I ain't responsible for；〃
commented old Mrs。 Bascom； 〃but no new wash…boiler has gone
into Rube Hobson's door in the daytime for many a year；
and I'll be bound it means somethin'。 There goes a broom； too。
Much sweepin' he'll get out o' Eunice； it's a slick 'n'
a promise with her！〃
〃When did you begin to suspicion this； Diademy？〃 asked Almira Berry。
〃I've got as much faculty as the next one； but anybody that lives on the river
road has just got to give up knowin' anything。 You can't keep runnin'
to the store every day； and if you could you don't find out much nowadays。
Bill Peters don't take no more interest in his neighbors than a cow
does in election。〃
〃I can't get mother Bascom to see it as I do；〃 said Diadema；
〃but for one thing she's ben carryin' home bundles 'bout every
other night for a month； though she's ben too smart to buy anythin'
here at this store。 She had Packard's horse to go to Saco last week。
When she got home； jest at dusk； she drove int' the barn；
'n' bimeby Pitt Packard come to git his horse；'t was her own
buggy she went with。 She looked over here when she went int'
the house； 'n' she ketched my eye； though 't was half a mile away；
so she never took a thing in with her； but soon as't was dark she made
three trips out to the barn with a lantern； 'n' any fool could tell
't her arms was full o' pa'cels by the way she carried the lantern。
The Hobsons and the Emerys have married one another more 'n once；
as fur as that goes。 I declare if I was goin' to get married I
should want to be relation to somebody besides my own folks。〃
〃The reason I can hardly credit it；〃 said Hannah Sophia；
〃is because Eunice never had a beau in her life； that I can
remember of。 Cyse Higgins set up with her for a spell；
but it never amounted to nothin'。 It seems queer； too； for she
was always so fond o' seein' men folks round that when Pitt
Packard was shinglin' her barn she used to go out nights
'n' rip some o' the shingles off； so 't he'd hev more days'
work on it。〃
〃I always said 't was she that begun on Rube Hobson；
not him on her；〃 remarked the Widow Buzzell。
〃Their land joinin' made courtin' come dretful handy。
His critters used to git in her field 'bout every other day
（I always suspicioned she broke the fence down herself）；
and then she'd hev to go over and git him to drive 'em out。
She's wed his onion bed for him two summers； as I happen to know；
for I've been ou' doors more 'n common this summer； tryin'
to fetch my constitution up。 Diademy； don't you want to look
out the back way 'n' see if Rube's come home yet？〃
〃He ain't；〃 said old Mrs。 Bascom； 〃so you needn't look；
can't you see the curtains is all down？ He's gone up to the Mills；
'n' it's my opinion he's gone to speak to the minister。〃
〃He hed somethin' in the back o' the wagon covered up with an old
linen lap robe； 't ain't at all likely he 'd 'a' hed that if he'd ben goin'
to the minister's；〃 objected Mrs。 Jot。
〃Anybody'd think you was born yesterday； to hear you talk； Diademy；〃
retorted her mother…in…law。 〃When you 've set in one spot's long's
I hev； p'raps you'll hev the use o' your faculties！ Men folks has more
'n one way o' gettin' married； 'specially when they 're ashamed of it。
。 。 。 Well； I vow； there's the little Hobson girls comin' out o'
the door this minute； 'n' they 're all dressed up； and Mote don't seem
to be with 'em。〃
Every woman in the room rose to her feet； and Diadema removed
her murderous eye from a fly which she had been endeavoring to locate
for some moments。
〃I guess they 're goin' up to the church to meet their father 'n' Eunice；
poor little things；〃 ventured the Widow Buzzell。
〃P'raps they be；〃 said old Mrs。 Bascom sarcastically；
〃p'raps they be goin' to church； takin' a three…quart
tin pail 'n' a brown paper bundle along with 'em。
。 。 。 They 're comin' over the bridge； just as I s'posed。
。 。 。 Now； if they come past this house； you head 'em off；
Almiry； 'n' see if you can git some satisfaction out of 'em。
。 。 。 They ain't hardly old enough to hold their tongues。〃
An exciting interview soon took place in the middle of the road；
and Almira reentered the room with the expression of one who had
penetrated the inscrutable and solved the riddle of the Sphinx。
She had been vouch…safed one of those gleams of light in darkness
which almost dazzle the beholder。
〃That's about the confirmingest thing I've heern yet！〃
she ejaculated； as she took off her shaker bonnet。
〃They say they're goin' up to their aunt Hitty's to stay two days。
They're dressed in their best； clean to the skin； for I looked；
'n' it's their night gownds they've got in the bundle。
They say little Mote has gone to Union to stop all night
with his uncle Abijah； 'n' that leaves Rube all alone；
for the smith girl that does his chores is home sick
with the hives。 And what do you s'pose is in the pail？
_Fruit_ _cake_；that's what 't is； no more 'n' no less！
I knowed that Smith girl didn't bake it； 'n' so I asked 'em；
'n' they said Miss Emery give it to 'em。 There was two little
round try…cakes； baked in muffin…rings。 Eunice hed took some o'
the batter out of a big loaf 'n' baked it to se how it was goin'
to turn out。 That means wedding…cake； or I'm mistaken！〃
〃There ain't no gittin' round that；〃 agreed the assembled company；
〃now is there； Mis' Bascom？〃
Old Mrs。 Bascom wet her finger； smoothed the parting
of her false front； and looked inscrutable。
〃I don't see why you're so secret；〃 objected Diadema。
〃I've got my opinions； and I've had 'em some time；〃
observed the good lady。 〃I don't know 's I'm bound to tell 'em
and have 'em held up to ridicule。 Let the veal hang； I say。
If any one of us is right； we'll all know to…morrow。〃
〃Well； all any of us has got to judge from is appearances；〃 said Diadema；
〃and how you can twist 'em one way； and us another； stumps me！〃
〃Perhaps I see more appearances than you do；〃
retorted her mother…in…law。 〃Some folks mistakes all they see
for all there is。 I was reading a detective story last week。
It seems there was an awful murder