There , that is better . And I must wash my hands , too , because I shook hands with Whiskers-on-the-moon when he came in -- not that I wanted to , but when he stuck out his fat , oily hand I did not know just what else to do at the moment . I had just finished my afternoon cleaning and thanks be , everything was shining and spotless ; and thought I ` now that dye is boiling and I will get my rug rags and have them nicely out of the way before supper . ' `` Just then a shadow fell over the floor and looking up I saw Whiskers-on-the-moon , standing in the doorway , dressed up and looking as if he had just been starched and ironed . I shook hands with him , as aforesaid , Mrs. Dr. dear , and told him you and the doctor were both away . But he said , `` I have come to see you , Miss Baker . ' `` I asked him to sit down , for the sake of my own manners , and then I stood there right in the middle of the floor and gazed at him as contemptuously as I could . In spite of his brazen assurance this seemed to rattle him a little ; but he began trying to look sentimental at me out of his little piggy eyes , and all at once an awful suspicion flashed into my mind . Something told me , Mrs. Dr. dear , that I was about to receive my first proposal . I have always thought that I would like to have just one offer of marriage to reject , so that I might be able to look other women in the face , but you will not hear me bragging of this . I consider it an insult and if I could have thought of any way of preventing it I would . But just then , Mrs. Dr. dear , you will see I was at a disadvantage , being taken so completely by surprise . Some men , I am told , consider a little preliminary courting the proper thing before a proposal , if only to give fair warning of their intentions ; but Whiskers-on-the-moon probably thought it was any port in a storm for me and that I would jump at him . Well , he is undeceived -- yes , he is undeceived , Mrs. Dr. dear . I wonder if he has stopped running yet . '' `` I understand that you do n't feel flattered , Susan . But could n't you have refused him a little more delicately than by chasing him off the premises in such a fashion ? '' `` Well , maybe I might have , Mrs. Dr. dear , and I intended to , but one remark he made aggravated me beyond my powers of endurance . If it had not been for that I would not have chased him with my dye-pot . I will tell you the whole interview .
Whiskers sat down , as I have said , and XXXXX beside him on another chair Doc was lying .
Baker Susan Whiskers-on-the-moon afternoon dear dye-pot first piggy right storm