Fire away , Dick . '' `` Well , we got as hungry as hounds half a dozen mile from home , and when a farmhouse hove in sight , Joe said he 'd ask for a bite , and leave some of the plunder for pay . I was visitin ' Joe , did n't know folks round , and backed out of the beggin ' part of the job ; so he went ahead alone . We 'd come out of the woods behind the house , and while Joe was foragin ' , I took a reconnoissance . The view was fust-rate , for the main part of it was a girl airin ' beds on the roof of a stoop . Now , jest about that time , havin ' a leisure spell , I 'd begun to think of marryin ' , and took a look at all the girls I met , with an eye to business . I s ` pose every man has some sort of an idee or pattern of the wife he wants ; pretty and plucky , good and gay was mine , but I 'd never found it till I see Kitty ; and as she did n't see me , I had the advantage and took an extra long stare . '' `` What was her good p ` ints , hey ? '' `` Oh , well , she had a wide-awake pair of eyes , a bright , jolly sort of a face , lots of curly hair tumblin ' out of her net , a trig little figger , and a pair of the neatest feet and ankles that ever stepped . ` Pretty , ' thinks I ; ` so far so good . ' The way she whacked the pillers , shook the blankets , and pitched into the beds was a caution ; specially one blunderin ' old feather-bed that would n't do nothin ' but sag round in a pigheaded sort of way , that would have made most girls get mad and give up . Kitty did n't , but just wrastled with it like a good one , till she got it turned , banged , and spread to suit her ; then she plumped down in the middle of it , with a sarcy little nod and chuckle to herself , that tickled me mightily . ` Plucky , ' thinks I , ` better 'n' better . ' Jest then an old woman came flyin ' out the back-door , callin ' , ` Kitty ! Kitty ! Squire Partridge 's son 's here , ` long with a friend ; been gunnin ' , want luncheon , and I 'm all in the suds ; do come down and see to 'em . ' '' ` Where are they ? ' says Kitty , scrambling up her hair and settlin ' her gown in a jiffy , as women have a knack of doin ' , you know . '' ` Mr. Joe 's in the front entry ; the other man 's somewheres round , Billy says , waitin ' till I send word whether they can stop . I dars n't till I 'd seen you , for I ca n't do nothin ' , I 'm in such a mess , ' says the old lady . ''
` So am I , for I ca n't get in except by the entry window , and he 'll see me , ' says XXXXX , gigglin ' at the thoughts of Joe . ''
Kitty Plucky beggin blunderin foragin havin idee ints marryin sarcy