`` Most of 'em are . See that house over there ? Mrs. Jane Harrison lives there . Her husband took tantrums every few days or so and would n't get out of bed . She had to do all the barn work till he 'd got over his spell . That 's men for you . When he died , people writ her letters of condolence but I just sot down and writ her one of congratulation . There 's the Presbyterian manse in the hollow . Mr. Bentwell 's our minister . He 's a good man and he 'd be a rather nice one if he did n't think it was his duty to be a little miserable all the time . He wo n't let his wife wear a fashionable hat , and his daughter ca n't fix her hair the way she wants to . Even being a minister ca n't prevent a man from being a crank . Here 's Ebenezer Milgrave coming . You take a good look at him . He used to be insane for years . He believed he was dead and used to rage at his wife because she would n't bury him . I 'd a-done it . '' Aunt Philippa looked so determinedly grim that I could almost see her with a spade in her hand . I laughed aloud at the picture summoned up . `` Yes , it 's funny , but I guess his poor wife did n't find it very humorsome .
He 's been pretty sane for some XXXXX now , but you never can tell when he 'll break out again .
Bentwell Harrison Milgrave Philippa Presbyterian condolence days hair letters years