Stowe:--
NATICK, _July_ 14, 1839.
I have had a real good time this week writing my oration. I have
strolled over my old walking places, and found the same old stone
walls, the same old footpaths through the rye-fields, the same bends
in the river, the same old bullfrogs with their green spectacles on,
the same old terrapins sticking up their heads and bowing as I go by;
and nothing was wanting but my wife to talk with to make all complete.
. . . I have had some rare talks with old uncle "Jaw" Bacon, and other
old characters, which you ought to have heard. The Curtises have been
flooding Uncle "Jaw's" meadows, and he is in a great stew about it. He
says: "I took and tell'd your Uncle Izic to tell them 'ere Curtises
that if the Devil did n't git 'em far flowing my medder arter that
sort, I didn't see no use o' havin' any Devil." "Have you talked with
the Curtises yourself?" "Yes, hang the sarcy dogs! and they took and
tell'd me that they'd take and flow clean up to my front door, and
make me go out and in in a boat." "Why don't you go to law?" "Oh, they
keep alterin' and er tinkerin'-up the laws so here in Massachusetts
that a body can't git no damage fur flowing; they think cold water
can't hurt nobody."
Mother and Aunt Nabby each keep separate establishments. First Aunt
Nabby gets up in the morning and examines the sink, to see whether it
leaks and rots the beam.
Pages:
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488