“Anything wrong, sir? you give me a turn moving so sudden like.  Let me see, where was I?  Oh, talkin’ about them boys.  Well, let’s get on.

“I’ve given you some idea of what ’Lihu was like, but seems to me harder to tell about that Barton boy, that gay, handsome, charming Joel, that kept the whole country alive with his doings and sayings from the time he could trot about alone.

“Wall! he was bright was Joel, and ’twas no wonder that his parents see it so plain and talk Joel day in and day out whenever they got a soul to listen to ’em.  Kitty grew up admiring him; there warn’t no ‘but’ in speaking of Joel.  He done everything first class, from farm work to his lessons, so no wonder his folks acted proud of him and sent him to college to prepare for a profession.

“Wall, his success at college added some to his notoriety, and his doings was talked back and forth more’n ever.

“Then every term kind of altered him.  He come back with a finer air, better language and a knowledge of the ways of society folks, that put him ahead of anyone else in the valley; while poor ’Lihu was just the same in speech and manner, and more retiring and modest than ever; and, though he was faithfuller, truer and stronger hearted than he’d ever given promise of being, folks never took to him as they did to young Joel.

“But I must go on, for young folks grow up and the signs of mischief come gradual like and was not seen by foolish Kitty, but increasing every time Joel come home for his vacations.  Of course Kitty was to blame, but the Lord made her what she was.

“Yes, I can speak freely of her now, because, as I said before, this careless, pretty Kitty died twenty long years ago.

“Not before she married Joel, you ask?  Well, of all impatient men! really I can’t get on no quicker than I be doin’, and if you’re tired of it, why take your hat and go.  Events don’t fly as quick as words and I’m taking you over the course at race-horse speed, skipping where I can, so as to give you just the gist of the story.

“Wall then, Kitty loved life; not but what it meant work early and late to keep things as they oughter be on the old homestead.  Her folks warn’t as notable as they might ha’ been till Kitty took hold; and then I tell you, sir, she made things spin.  ’Twarn’t only her pretty face that brought men like bees about the place; there was many as would ha’ asked for her, if she’d been as homely as a door nail.  But she sent ’em all away with the same story—­all but her old sweethearts ’Lihu and Joel, and they was as much rivals when they grow’d up as they’d been at the old school-house, when Kitty treated ’Lihu like a yaller dog and showed favour to young Joel.

“But ’Lihu hung on.  He come of a race never known to give up what they catched on to.  Some way he gained ground too, for, with that shiftless dad at the head of things at the homestead, there was need of a wise counsellor to back up Kitty in the way she took hold.