Besides , I thought it might enable us to hold out until some loophole of escape presented itself . Isaac went back into the house and I unpacked the basket . There was a bottle of milk , some bread and butter , and a pie . Melissa would n't take a morsel of the food , but she was so thirsty she had to take a drink of milk . She tried to lift her veil -- and something caught ; Melissa gave it a savage twitch , and off came veil and hat -- and all her front hair ! You never saw such a sight . I 'd always suspected Melissa wore a false front , but I 'd never had any proof before . Melissa pinned on her hair again and put on her hat and drank the milk , all without a word ; but she was purple . I felt sorry for her . And I felt sorry for Isaac when I tried to eat that bread . It was sour and dreadful . As for the pie , it was hopeless . I tasted it , and then threw it down to Julius Caesar . Julius Caesar , not being over particular , ate it up . I thought perhaps it would kill him , for anything might come of eating such a concoction . That pie was a strong argument for Isaac . I thought a man who had to live on such cookery did indeed need a wife and might be pardoned for taking desperate measures to get one . I was dreadfully tired of broiling on the roof anyhow . But it was the thunderstorm that decided me . When I saw it coming up , black and quick , from the northwest , I gave in at once .
I had endured a good deal and was prepared to endure more ; but I had paid ten dollars for my hat and I was not going to have it ruined by a XXXXX .
Caesar Isaac Melissa concoction cookery escape hair morsel something thunderstorm