She wa n't very waal off , nor extra harnsome , but she was pious the worst kind , an ' dreadf ' l clever to them she fancied . But I was daown on my luck ag ` in ; fer at the fust word I spoke of merryin ' , she showed me the door , an ' give me to understan ' that she could n't think er hevin ' a man that war n't a church-member , that had n't experienced religion , or even ben struck with conviction , an ' all the rest o n't . Ef anny one hed a wanted tew hev seen a walkin ' hornet 's nest , they could hev done it cheap that night , as I went hum . I jest bounced intew the kitchen , chucked my hat intew one corner , my coat intew ` nother , kicked the cat , cussed the fire , drawed up a chair , and set scaoulin ' like sixty , bein ' tew mad fer talkin ' . The young woman that was nussin ' aunt , -- Bewlah Blish , by name , -- was a cooking grewel on the coals , and ` peared tew understan ' the mess I was in ; but she did n't say nothin ' , only blowed up the fire , fetched me a mug er cider , an ' went raound so kinder quiet , and sympathizing that I found the wrinkles in my temper gettin ' smoothed aout ` mazin ' quick ; an ' fore long I made a clean breast er the hull thing . Bewlah larfed , but I did n't mind her doin ' o n't , for she sez , sez she , real sort o ' cunnin ' , -- '' ` Poor Hiram ! they did n't use yeou waal . Yeou ought to hev tried some er the poor an ' humly girls ; they 'd a been glad an ' grateful fer such a sweetheart as yeou be . ' `` I was good-natered ag ` in by that time , an ' I sez , larfin ' along with her , ` Waal , I 've got three mittens , but I guess I might 's waal hev ` nother , and that will make two pair complete . Say , Bewlah , will yeou hev me ? ' '' ` Yes , I will . ' sez she . '' ` Reelly ? ' sez I. '' ` Solemn trew , ' sez she . `` Ef she 'd up an ' slapped me in the face , I should n't hev ben more throwed aback , fer I never mistrusted she cared two chips for me . I jest set an ' gawped ; fer she was ` solemn trew , ' I see that with half an eye , an ' it kinder took my breath away . Bewlah drawed the grewel off the fire , wiped her hands , an ' stood lookin ' at me a minnet , then she sez , slow an ' quiet , but tremblin ' a little , as women hev a way er doin ' , when they 've consid ` able steam aboard , -- '' ` Hiram , other folks think lumberin ' has spilt yeou ; I do n't ; they call you rough an ' rewd ; I know you 've got a real kind heart fer them as knows haow tew find it . Them girls give yeou up so easy , 'cause they never loved yeou , an ' yeou give them up 'cause you only thought abaout their looks an ' money . I 'm humly , an ' I 'm poor ; but I 've loved yeou ever sence we went a-nuttin ' years ago , an ' yeou shook daown fer me , kerried my bag , and kissed me tew the gate , when all the others shunned me , 'cause my father drank an ' I was shabby dressed , ugly , an ' shy . Yeou asked me in sport , I answered in airnest ; but I do n't expect nothin ' unless yeou mean as I mean .
Like me , Hiram , or leave me , it wo n't make no odds in my lovin ' of yeou , nor helpin ' of XXXXX , ef I kin . ' ''
Waal church-member gettin hornet intew nussin scaoulin tew trew yeou