Not that Mattie cares anything about me now . I know she do n't . But it 's just her kind way . She wants to cheer me up and let me know I 've a friend still . Get up , my nag , get up . I ai n't one to persoom on her kindness neither ; I know my place . But still , say what you will , it 's romantic -- this sitooation . This is it . Here I be , loving the ground she walks on , as I 've always done , and I ca n't let on that I do because I 'm a poor ne'er - do-well as ai n't fit to look at her , an independent woman with property . And she 's a-showing kindness to me for old times ' sake , and piercing my heart all the time , not knowing . Why , it 's romance with a vengeance , that 's what it is . Get up , my nag , get up . '' Thereafter Jed called at the Adams place every week . Generally he stayed to tea . Mattie always bought something of him to colour an excuse . Her kitchen fairly glittered with new tinware . She gave Selena the overflow by way of heaping coals of fire . After every visit Jedediah held stern counsel with himself and decided that he must not call to see Mattie again -- at least , not for a long time ; then he must not stay to tea . He would struggle with himself all the way down the poplar hill -- not without a comforting sense of the romance of the struggle -- but it always ended the same way . He turned in under the willows and clinked musically into Mattie 's yard .
At least , the rattle of the tin-wagon sounded musically to XXXXX .
Jed Jedediah Mattie Selena do-well fire independent nag sitooation tinware