their barks have got to be moored outside of them mysterious shores.

   But, as I said, this had been spozen.

   But it is known from actual eyesight that she marks all her sheets, and napkins, and piller-cases, and such, "M. D. S." And I asked her one day what the M. stood for, for I 'spozed, of course, the D. S. stood for Drusillia Sypher.

   And she told me with a real lot of dignity that the initials stood for "Miss Deacon Sypher."

   Wall, the Jonesville men have been in the habit of holdin' her up as a pattern to their wives for some time, and the Jonesville wimmen hain't hated her so bad as you would spoze they all would under the circumstances, on account, we all think, of her bein' such a good-hearted little creeter. We all like Drusilly and can't help it.

   Wall, even she felt bad and deprested on account of her Deacon's goin' into the buzz saw-mill business.

   But she didn't say nothin', only wept out at one side, and wiped up every time he came in sight.

   They say that she hain't never failed once of a-smilin' on the Deacon every time he came home. And once or twice he has got as mad as a hen at her for smilin'. Once, when he came home with a sore thumb—he had jest smashed it in the barn door—and she stood a-smilin' at him on the door step, there are them that say the Deacon called her a "infernal fool."

   But I never have believed it. I don't believe he would demean himself so low.

   But he yelled out awful at her, I do 'spoze, for his pain wuz intense, and she stood stun still, a-smilin' at him, jest accordin' to the story books. And he sez:

   "Stand there like a——fool, will you! Get me a

    rag!

   "

   I guess he did say as much as that.

   But they say she kept on a-smilin' for some time—couldn't seem to stop, she had got so hardened into that way.

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