SCENE XIII.
_The Village._
PLEASANT RIVER IS BAPTIZED WITH THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION.
"But I didn't come in to talk 'bout the fun'ral," continued Aunt Hitty,
wishing that human flesh were transparent so that she could see through
Samanthy Ann Ripley's back. "I had an errant 'n' oughter ben in afore,
but I've ben so busy these last few days I couldn't find rest for the
sole o' my foot skersely. I've sewed in seven dif'rent houses sence I
was here last, and I've made it my biz'ness to try 'n' stop the gossip
'bout them children 'n' give folks the rights o' the matter, 'n' git 'em
interested to do somethin' for 'em. Now there ain't a livin' soul that
wants the boy, but"--
"Timothy," said Miss Vilda hurriedly, "run and fetch me a passle of
chips, that's a good boy. Land sakes! Aunt Hitty, you needn't tell him
to his face that nobody wants him. He's got feelin's like any other
child."
"He set there so quiet with a book in front of him I clean forgot he was
in the room," said Aunt Hitty apologetically. "Land! I'm so
tender-hearted I can't set my foot on a June bug 'n' 't aint' likely I'd
hurt anybody's feelin's, but as I was sayin' I can't find nobody that
wants the boy, but the Doctor's wife thinks p'raps she'll be willin' to
take the baby 'n' board her for nothing if somebody else 'll pay for her
clothes. At least she'll try her a spell 'n' see how she behaves, 'n'
whether she's good comp'ny for her own little girl that's a reg'lar limb
o' Satan anyway, 'n' consid'able worse sence she's had the scarlit
fever, 'n' deef as a post too, tho' they're blisterin' her, 'n' she may
git over it.
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