Once , six years after Joscelyn had left Spring Valley , Cyrus , who was reading a paper by the table , got up with an angry exclamation and stuffed it into the stove , thumping the lid on over it with grim malignity . `` That fool dunno what he 's talking about , '' was all he would say . Deborah had her share of curiosity . The paper was the National Gazette and she knew that their next-door neighbour , James Pennan , took it . She went over that evening and borrowed it , saying that their own had been burned before she had had time to read the serial in it . With one exception she read all its columns carefully without finding anything to explain her husband 's anger . Then she doubtfully plunged into the exception ... a column of `` Stage Notes . '' Halfway down she came upon an adverse criticism of Joscelyn Morgan and her new play . It was malicious and vituperative . Deborah Morgan 's old eyes sparkled dangerously as she read it . `` I guess somebody is pretty jealous of Josie , '' she muttered . `` I do n't wonder Pa was riled up . But I guess she can hold her own . She 's a Morgan . '' No long time after this Cyrus took a notion he 'd like a trip to the city . He 'd like to see the Horse Fair and look up Cousin Hiram Morgan 's folks . `` Hiram and me used to be great chums , Mother . And we 're getting kind of mossy , I guess , never stirring out of Spring Valley . Let 's go and dissipate for a week -- what say ? '' Deborah agreed readily , albeit of late years she had been much averse to going far from home and had never at any time been very fond of Cousin Hiram 's wife .
XXXXX was as pleased as a child over their trip .
Cyrus Deborah Hiram Joscelyn Mother Pennan dunno evening malignity years