Part 10 (2/2)

”Yes,” said Calvin, pursuing his own thoughts. ”This is another pleasant home. Considerable many of 'em in these parts, or so it appears to a lone person. I judge you're a single man, Mr. Cheeseman?”

”Widower!” said Mr. Cheeseman briefly.

”That so!” said Calvin.

They watched the mola.s.ses for a time, as it bubbled up in little gold-brown mounds that flowed away in foam as the spoon touched them.

”She's killin' good to-day!” remarked the old man.

”Cream-o'-tartar?” asked Calvin.

”Yes! I never use any other. Yes, sir; I had a good wife, a real good one; and might have had another, if I'd judged it convenient.”

Calvin looked up expectantly; it was evident that more was coming.

Mr. Cheeseman began to stir the mola.s.ses with long, slow sweeps of the spoon, talking the while.

”It was this way. My wife had a friend that she thought the world of.

Well, she thought the world of me too, and when it come time for her to go, nothin' to it but I must marry this woman. The night before 'Liza was taken, she says to me, 'Ivory,' she says, 'I've left it in writin'

that if you marry Elviry you'll get that two thousand dollars that's in the bank; and if not it goes to the children.' Children was married and settled, two of 'em, and well fixed. 'I want you to promise me you will!' she says.”

”And did you?” asked Calvin.

”No, I didn't. I warn't goin' to tie myself up again. I'd been married thirty years, and that was enough.”

”What _did_ you say, if I may ask?”

”I said I'd think about it, and let her know in the mornin'. I knew she'd be gone by then, and she was.”

Again they watched the boiling in silence. Calvin looked somewhat disturbed.

”But yet you liked the married state?” he asked presently.

”Fust-rate!” said Mr. Cheeseman placidly. He glanced at Calvin; stirred the candy, and glanced again.

”You ain't married, I think, friend Parks?”

”N--no!” said Calvin slowly. ”I ain't; but--fact is, I'm wishful to be, but I don't see my way to it.”

”I want to know!” said Mr. Cheeseman. ”Would you like to free your mind, or don't you feel to? I'm not curious, not a mite; but yet there's times when a person can tell better what he thinks if he outs with it to somebody else. Like mola.s.ses! Take it in the cask, and it's cold, and slow, and not much to look at; but take and bile it, and stir it good, and--you see!”

The mola.s.ses boiled up in a fragrant geyser, threatening to overflow the pot; but obedient to the spoon, fell away again in foamy ripples.

”Like that!” Mr. Cheeseman repeated. ”If it would clear your mind any to bile over, friend Parks, so do!”

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