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 yeou , ef I kin . ' '' ` Tai n't easy tew say haouw I felt , while she was goin ' on that way , but my idees was tumblin ' raound inside er me , as ef half a dozen dams was broke loose all tew oncet . One think was ruther stiddier 'n the rest , an ' that was that I liked Bewlah more 'n I knew . I begun tew see what kep ' me loafin ' tew hum so much , sence aunt was took daown ; why I wa n't in no hurry tew git them other gals , an ' haow I come tew pocket my mittens so easy arfter the fust rile was over . Bewlah was humly , poor in flesh , dreadful freckled , hed red hair , black eyes , an ' a gret mold side of her nose . But I 'd got wonted tew her ; she knowed my ways , was a fust rate housekeeper , real good-tempered , and pious without flingin ' o n't in yer face . She was a lonely creeter , -- her folks bein ' all dead but one sister , who did n't use her waal , an ' somehow I kinder yearned over her , as they say in Scripter . For all I set an ' gawped , I was coming raound fast , though I felt as I used tew , when I was goin ' to shoot the rapids , kinder breathless an ' oncertin , whether I 'd come aout right side up or not . Queer , war n't it ? '' `` Love , Flint ; that was a sure symptom of it . '' `` Waal , guess 't was ; anyway I jumped up all of a sudden , ketched Bewlah raound the neck , give her a hearty kiss , and sung aout , ` I 'll dew it sure 's my name 's Hi Flint ! ' The words was scarcely out of my maouth , ` fore daown come Dr. Parr . He ' d ben up tew see aunt , an ' said she would n't last the night threw , prob ` ly . That give me a scare er the wust kind ; an ' when I told doctor haow things was , he sez , kinder jokin ' , -- '' ` Better git merried right away , then . Parson Dill is tew come an ' see the old lady , an ' he 'll dew both jobs tew oncet . ' '' ` Will yeou , Bewlah ? ' sez I. '' ` Yes , Hiram , to ` blige yeou , ' sez she . `` With that , I put it fer the license ; got it , an ' was back in less 'n half an haour , most tuckered aout with the flurry of the hull concern . Quick as I 'd been , Bewlah hed faound time tew whip on her best gaoun , fix up her hair , and put a couple er white chrissanthymums intew her hand ` chif pin .
Fer the fust time in her life , she looked harnsome , -- leastways I thought so , -- with a pretty color in her cheeks , somethin' brighter 'n a larf shinin ' in her eyes , and her lips smilin ' an ' tremblin ' , as she come to me an ' whispered so 's ' t none er the rest could hear , -- '' ` XXXXX , do n't yeou dew it , ef yeou 'd ruther not .
't Flint Hiram Parr Tai Yeou aout haow kep stiddier