Part 24 (2/2)

[Ill.u.s.tration: SAMANTHA MEETING JAMES G. BLAINE.]

I think enough of James, but not too much. My likin' is jest about strong enough from a literary person to a literary person.

We are both literary, very. He is considerable taller than I am; and on that account, and a good many others, I felt like lookin' up to him.

Wall, when I have got a hard job in front of me, I don't know any better way than to tackle it to once. So consequently I tackled it.

I told James, that Dorlesky Burpy had sent two errents by me, and I had brought 'em from Jonesville on my tower.

And then I told him jest how she had suffered from the Whisky Ring, and how she had suffered from not havin' her rights; and I told him all about her relations sufferin', and that Dorlesky wanted the Ring broke, and her rights gin to her, within seven days at the longest.

He rubbed his brow thoughtfully, and says,-

”It will be difficult to accomplish so much in so short a time.”

”I know it,” says I. ”I told Dorlesky it would. But she feels jest so, and I promised to do her errent; and I am a doin' it.”

Agin he rubbed his brow in deep thought, and agin he says,-

”I don't think Dorlesky is unreasonable in her demands, only in the length of time she has set.”

Says I, ”That is jest what I told Dorlesky. I didn't believe you could do her errents this week. But you can see for yourself that she is right, only in the time she has sot.”

”Yes,” he said. ”He see she wuz.” And says he, ”I wish the 3 could be reconciled.”

”What 3?” says I.

Says he, ”The liquor traffic, liberty, and Dorlesky.”

And then come the very hardest part of my errent. But I had to do it, I had to.

Says I, in the deep, solemn tones befitting the threat, for I wuzn't the woman to cheat Dorlesky when she was out of sight, and use the wrong tones at the wrong times-no, I used my deepest and most skairful one-says I, ”Dorlesky told me to tell you that if you didn't do her errent, you should not be the next President of the United States.”

He turned pale. He looked agitated, fearful agitated.

I s'pose it was not only my words and tone that skairt him, but my mean. I put on my n.o.blest mean; and I s'pose I have got a very n.o.ble, high-headed mean at times. I got it, I think, in the first place, by overlookin' Josiah's faults. I always said a wife ort to overlook her husband's faults; and I have to overlook so many, that it has made me about as high- headed, sometimes, as a warlike gander, but more sort o' meller-lookin', and sublime, kinder.

He stood white as a piece of a piller-case, and seemin'ly plunged down into the deepest thought. But finally he riz part way out of it, and says he,-

”I want to be on the side of Truth and Justice. I want to, awfully. And while I do not want to be President of the United States, yet at the same time I do want to be-if you'll understand that paradox,” says he.

”Yes,” says I sadly. ”I understand that paradox. I have seen it myself, right in my own family.” And I sithed. And agin silence rained; and I sot quietly in the rain, thinkin' mebby good would come of it.

Finally he riz out of his revery; and says he, with a brighter look on his linement,-

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