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thy crust be rolled； A sad； burnt crust of deepest suffering。 〃There are some griefs the female soul don't tell； And she may weep； and she may wretched be； Though she may like the name of Abram well And she may not like dislike the name of G ； 〃Oh Fel Ambition； how thou lurest us on； How by thy high； bold torch we're stridin' led： Thou lurest us up； cold mountain top upon； And seated by us there； thou scoffest at bread。 〃Thou lookest down； Ambition； on the ovens brim； Thou brookest not a word of him save with contumalee： And yet； wert thou afar； how sweet to set by him And cut low slices of sweet joy with G ； 〃Oh！ Fel Ambition； wert but thou away； Could we thy hauntin' form no more； nor see； How sweet 'twould be to linger on with A…； How sweet 'twould be to dwell for aye with G…。〃 Wall； as I say； she gin good satisfaction in the deestrict and I declare for it； I got to likin' her dretful well before the winter wuz over。 Softer she wuz； and had to be； than any fuz that was ever on any cotton flannel fur or near。 And more verses she wrote than wuz good for her； or for anybody else； … Why she would write 〃Lines on the Tongs；〃 or 〃Stanzas on the Salt Suller；〃 if she couldn't do any better； it beats all！ And then she would read 'em to me to get my idees on 'em。 Why I had to call on every martyr in the hull string of martyrs sometimes to keep myself from tellin' her my full mind about 'em unbeknown to me。 For； if I had； it would have skairt the soft little creeter out of what little wit she had。 So I kep' middlin' still； and see it go on。 For she wuz a good little soul； affectionate and kinder helpful。 A good creeter now to find your speks。 Why she found 'em for me times out of number； and I got real attached to her and visey versey。 And when she came a visitin' me in the spring （at my request）； and I happened to mention that Josiah and me laid out to go to Saratoga for the summer； what did the soft little creeter want to do but to go too。 Her father was well off and wuz able to send her； and she had relatives there on her own side； some of the Pixleys； so her board wouldn't cost nothin'。 So it didn't look nothin' unreasonable； though whether I could get her there and back without her mashin' all down on my hands； like a over ripe peach； she wuz that soft； wuz a question that hanted me； and so I told Josiah。 But Josiah kinder likes young girls （nothin' light； a calm meetin'…house affection）； it is kinder nater that he should； and he sez： 〃Better let her go； she won't make much trouble。〃 〃No；〃 sez I； 〃not to you； but if you had to set for hours and hours and hear her verses read to you on every subject on heaven； and earth； and the seas； and see her a measurin' of it with a stick to get the lines the right length； if you had to go through all this； mebby you would meditate on the subject before you took it for a summer's job。〃 〃 Wall；〃 sez he； 〃mebby she won't write so much when she gets started； she will be kinder jogged round and stirred up in body and mebby her feelins' will kinder rest。 I shouldn't wonder a mite if they did；〃 sez he。 〃And then she can take a good many steps for you； and I love to see you favored；〃 sez he。 He wanted her to go； I see that； and I see that it wuz natur that he should； and so I consented in my mind after a parlay。 She found his specks a sight and his hat。 Nothin' seemed to please her better than to be gropin' round after things to please somebody； her disposition wuz such。 So it wuz settled that she should accompany and go with us。 And the mornin' we started she met us at the Jonesville Depot in good sperits and a barege delaine dress； cream color； and a hat of the same。 I hadn't seen her for some weeks； and she seemed softly tickled to see Josiah and me； and asked a good many questions about Jonesville； kinder turnin' the conversation gradually round onto bread； as I could see。 So I branched right out； knowin' what she wanted of me； and told her plain； that 〃Abram Gee wuz a lookin' kinder mauger。 But doin' his duty stiddy；〃 sez I； lookin' keenly at her； 〃a doin' his duty by everybody； and beloved by everybody； him and his bread too。〃 She turned her head away and kinder sithed； and I guess it wuz as much as a quarter of a hour after that； that I see her take out a pencil and a piece of paper out of her portmonny； and a little stick； and she went to makin' some verses； a measurin' 'em careful as she wrote 'em； and when she handed 'em to me they wuz named
〃A LAY ON A CAR； 〃or 〃THE LESSON OF A LOCOMOTIVE。〃 After I had read it and handed it back to her； she sez； 〃Don't you think I improve on the melody and rhythm of my poetry？ I take this little stick with me now wherever I go； and measure my lines by it。 They are jest of a length； I am very particular； you know you advised me to be。〃 〃Yes；〃 sez I mechaniklly； 〃but I didn't mean jest that。〃 Sez I； 〃the poetry I wuz a thinkin' on； is measured by the soul； the enraptured throb of heart and brain； it don't need takin' a stick to it。 Howsumever；〃 sez I； for I see she looked sort a disapinted； 〃howsumever； if you have measured 'em； they are probable about the same length： it is a good sound stick； I haint no doubt；〃 and I kinder sithed。 And she sez； 〃What do you think of the first verse？ Haint that verse as true as fate； or sadness； or anything else you know of？〃 〃Oh yes；〃 sez I candidly； 〃yes； if the cars run backwards we shouldn't go on； that is true as anything can be。 But if I wuz in your place； Ardelia；〃 sez I； 〃I wouldn't write any more to…day。 It is a kind of muggy damp day。 It is a awfully bad day for poetry to…day。 And；〃 sez I； to get her mind offen it； 〃Have you seen anything of my companion's specks？〃 And that took her mind offen poetry and she went a huntin' for 'em； on the seat and under the seat。 She hunted truly high and low and at last she found 'em on my pardner's foretop； the last place any of us thought of lookin'。 And she never said another word about poetry； or any other trouble； nor I nuther。
V。 WE ARRIVE AT SARATOGA。
We arrived at Saratoga jest as sunset with a middlin' gorgeous dress on wuz a walkin' down the west and a biddin' us and the earth good…bye。 There wuz every color you could think on almost； in her gown and some stars a shinin' through the floatin' drapery and a half moon restin' up on her cloudy foretop like a beautiful orniment。 （I s'pose mebby it is proper to describe sunset in this way on goin' to such a dressy place； though it haint my style to do so； I don't love to describe sunset as a female and don't； much of the time； but I love to see things correspond。） Wall； we descended from the cars and went to the boardin' place provided for us beforehand by the look out of friends。 It wuz a good place； there haint no doubt of that； good folks； good fare and clean。 Ardelia parted away from us at the depo。 She wuz a goin' to board to a smaller boardin' house kep' by a second cousin of her father's brother's wife's aunt。 It wuz her father's request that she sho