`` That night he talked to me in the study he showed me real clear that my praying did n't kill Mrs. Wiley . My mind 's been easy since , but I 'm real cautious about praying . I guess the old rhyme is the safest . Say , Una , it seems to me if one has to pray to anybody it 'd be better to pray to the devil than to God . God 's good , anyhow so you say , so He wo n't do you any harm , but from all I can make out the devil needs to be pacified . I think the sensible way would be to say to HIM , ` Good devil , please do n't tempt me . Just leave me alone , please . ' Now , do n't you ? '' `` Oh , no , no , Mary . I 'm sure it could n't be right to pray to the devil . And it would n't do any good because he 's bad . It might aggravate him and he 'd be worse than ever . '' `` Well , as to this God-matter , '' said Mary stubbornly , `` since you and I ca n't settle it , there ai n't no use in talking more about it until we 've a chanct to find out the rights of it . I 'll do the best I can alone till then . '' `` If mother was alive she could tell us everything , '' said Una with a sigh . `` I wisht she was alive , '' said Mary . `` I do n't know what 's going to become of you youngsters when I 'm gone . Anyhow , DO try and keep the house a little tidy . The way people talks about it is scandalous . And the first thing you know your father will be getting married again and then your noses will be out of joint . ''
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God-matter Mary Una Wiley chanct everything first night right use