"Le' me get out and find it. It was a
present from my darter, Cynthy Ann, and I wouldn't lose it for a
kingdom."
In truth, when prompted by her apprehension to cling to the young
man in front for protection, Mrs. Payson had inadvertently
dropped the bandbox out of the window, where it met with an
unhappy disaster. The horse, quite unconscious of the damage he
was doing, had backed the wagon in such a manner that one of the
wheels passed directly over it.
When Ajax picked up the mutilated casket, which, with the jewel
it contained, had suffered such irreparable injury, and restored
it to its owner, great was the lamentation. Rachel weeping for
her children could hardly have exhibited more poignant sorrow.
"Oh, it's sp'ilt!" groaned the old lady. "I can never wear it
arter this. And it cost four dollars and sixty-two cents and a
half without the ribbon. Oh, deary me!"
Then, suddenly waxing indignant with the author of the mischief,
she put her head out of the window, and, espying Pomp on the
other side of the stone wall, looking half-repentant and
half-struck with the fun of the thing, she shook her fist at him,
exclaiming, "Oh, you little sarpint, ef I only had you here, I'd
w'ip you till you couldn't stan'.
Pages:
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147