And I told him—­for I see that he really meant what he said—­I told him that the chance of comin’ in there and settin’ down in that cool, big room, once in a while, as a change from our dry oven, would be a boon.  And I didn’t know but it would be the means of savin’ our two lives, for meltin’ did seem to be our doom and our state ahead on us, time and time agin.

And he spoke right up in his pleasant, sincere way, and said, “The more we used it the more it would please him.”

And then he opened the doors of a big bookcase—­all carved off the doors wuz, and the top, and the beautiful head of a white marble female a-standin’ up above it.  And he sez—­

“Here are a good many books that are fairly lonesome waiting to be read, and you are more than welcome to read them.”

Wall, I thanked him agin, and I told him that he wuz too good to us.  And I couldn’t settle it in my own mind what made him act so.  Of course, not knowin’ at that time that I favored his mother in my looks—­his mother he had worshipped so that he kep her room jest as she left it, and wouldn’t have a thing changed.

But I didn’t know that, as I say, and I said to my Josiah, after we went back into our room—­

Sez I, “It must be that we do have a good look to us, Josiah Allen, or else that perfect stranger wouldn’t treat us as he has.”

“Perfect stranger!” sez Josiah.  “Why, we have neighbored with him ’most a week.  But,” sez he, “you are right about our looks—­we are dum good-lookin’, both on us.  I am pretty lookin’,” says he, firmly, “though you hain’t willin’ to own up to it.”

Sez he, “I dare presoom to say, he thought I would be a sort of a ornament to his rooms—­kinder set ’em off.  And you look respectable,” sez he, sort o’ lookin’ down on me—­

“Only you are too fat!” Sez he, “You’d be quite good-lookin’ if it wuzn’t for that.”

And then we had some words.

And I sez, “It hain’t none of our merits that angel looks at; it is his own goodness.”

“Wall, there hain’t no use in your callin’ him an angel.  You never called me so.”

“No, indeed!” sez I; “I never had no occasion, not at all.”

And then we had some more words—­not many, but jest a few.  We worship each other, and it is known to be so, all over Jonesville, and Loontown, and Zoar.  And I spozed by that time that Chicago wuz a-beginnin’ to wake up to the truth of how much store we sot by each other.  But the fairest spring day is liable to have its little spirts of rain, and they only make the air sweeter and more refreshin’.

Wall, from that time, every now and then—­not enough to abuse his horsepitality, but enough to let him know that we appreciated his goodness—­when our dry oven become heated up beyend what we could seem to bear, we went into that cool, delightful room agin, and agin I feasted my eyes on the lovely pictures on the wall; most of all on that beautiful sunset scene down by the laughin’ stream.