Susan Clegg and Her Friend Mrs. Lathrop | Page 2

was her usual Saturday morning greeting to Mrs. Lathrop, "I 'm sorry to
cut you off so quick, but this 's father's day to be beat up and got into
new pillow-slips," or her regular early-June remark, "Well, I thank
Heaven 't father 's had his hair picked over 'n' 't he's got his new tick for
this year!"

Mrs. Lathrop was always interested, always sympathetic, and rarely
ever startled; yet one July evening when Susan said suddenly, "I 've
finished my dress for father's funeral," she did betray a slight shock.
"You ought to see it," the younger woman continued, not noticing the
other's start,--"it's jus' 's nice. I put it away in camphor balls, 'n' Lord
knows I don't look forward to the gettin' it out to wear, f'r the whole
carriage load 'll sneeze their heads off whenever I move in that dress."
"Did you put newspaper--" Mrs. Lathrop began, mastering her earlier
emotions.
"In the sleeves? Yes, I did, 'n' I bought a pair o' black gloves 'n' two
handkerchiefs 'n' slipped 'em into the pockets. Everythin' is all fixed, 'n'
there 'll be nothin' to do when father dies but to shake it out 'n' lay it on
the bed in his room. I say 'in his room,' 'cause o' course that day he 'll
be havin' the guest-room. I was thinkin' of it all this afternoon when I
sat there by him hemmin' the braid on the skirt, 'n' I could n't but think
't if I sit 'n' wait very much longer I sh'll suddenly find myself pretty far
advanced in years afore I know it. This world's made f'r the young 's
well's the old, 'n' you c'n believe me or not jus' 's you please, Mrs.
Lathrop, but I 've always meant to get married 's soon 's father was off
my hands. I was countin' up to-day, though, 'n' if he lives to be a
hunderd, I 'll be nigh onto seventy 'n' no man ain't goin' to marry me at
seventy. Not 'nless he was eighty, 'n' Lord knows I ain't intendin' to
bury father jus' to begin on some one else, 'n' that's all it 'd be."
Mrs. Lathrop chewed her clover.
"I set there thinkin' f'r a good hour, 'n' when I was puttin' away the
dress, I kep' on thinkin', 'n' the end was 't now that dress 's done I ain't
got nothin' in especial to sew on 'n' so I may jus' 's well begin on my
weddin' things. There's no time like the present, 'n' 'f I married this
summer he 'd have to pay f'r half of next winter's coal. 'N' so my mind's
made up, 'n' you c'n talk yourself blind, 'f you feel so inclined, Mrs.
Lathrop, but you can't change hide or hair o' my way o' thinkin'. I 've
made up my mind to get married, 'n' I 'm goin' to set right about it.
Where there's a will there 's a way, 'n' I ain't goin' to leave a stone

unturned. I went down town with the kerosene-can jus' afore tea, 'n' I
bought me a new false front, 'n' I met Mrs. Brown's son, 'n' I told him 't
I wanted him to come up to-morrow 'n' take a look at father."
"Was you thinkin' o' marryin' Mrs. Br----" Mrs. Lathrop gasped, taking
her clover from her lips.
"Marryin' Mrs. Brown's son! Well, 'f your mind don't run queer ways!
Whatever sh'd put such an idea into your head? I hope you 'll excuse
my sayin' so, Mrs. Lathrop, but I don't believe anybody but you would
ever 'a' asked such a question, when you know 's well 's everybody else
does 't he's runnin' his legs off after Amelia Fitch. Any man who wants
a little chit o' eighteen wouldn't suit my taste much, 'n' anyhow I never
thought of him; I only asked him to come in in a friendly way 'n' tell
me how long he thinks 't father may live. I don't see my way to makin'
any sort o' plans with father so dreffle indefinite, 'n' a man who was
fool enough to marry me, tied up like I am now, would n't have
s'fficient brains to be worth lookin' over. Mrs. Brown's son 's learnin'
docterin', 'n' he's been at it long enough so 's to be able to see through
anythin' 's simple 's father, I sh'd think. 'T any rate, 'f he don't know
nothin' yet, Heaven help Amelia Fitch 'n' me, f'r he'll take us both in."
"Who was you thinkin' o'--" Mrs. Lathrop asked, resuming her former
occupation.
"The minister," replied Miss Clegg. "I did n't stop to consider very
much, but it struck me 's polite to