With such detailed circumstantiality of rugs and quilts , too ? Adelia Williams must be going to marry somebody , and the Valley View gossips , unable to locate the man , had guessed Young Thomas . When he reached home , tired , mud-bespattered , and hungry , his housekeeper , who was also his hired man 's wife , asked him if it was true that he was going to be married . Young Thomas , taking in at a glance the ill-prepared , half-cold supper on the table , felt more annoyed than ever , and said it was n't , with a strong expression -- not quite an oath -- for Young Thomas never swore , unless swearing be as much a matter of intonation as of words . Mrs. Dunn sighed , patted her swelled face , and said she was sorry ; she had hoped it was true , for her man had decided to go west . They were to go in a month 's time . Young Thomas sat down to his supper with the prospect of having to look up another housekeeper and hired man before planting to destroy his appetite . Next day , three people who came to see Young Thomas on business congratulated him on his approaching marriage . Young Thomas , who had recovered his usual good humour , merely laughed . There was no use in being too earnest in denial , he thought . He knew that his unusual fit of petulance with his housekeeper had only convinced her that the story was true . It would die away in time , as other similar stories had died , he thought . Valley View gossip was imaginative . Young Thomas looked rather serious , however , when the minister and his wife called that evening and referred to the report . Young Thomas gravely said that it was unfounded . The minister looked graver still and said he was sorry -- he had hoped it was true . His wife glanced significantly about Young Thomas 's big , untidy sitting-room , where there were cobwebs on the ceiling and fluff in the corners and dust on the mop-board , and said nothing , but looked volumes . `` Dang it all , '' said Young Thomas , as they drove away , `` they 'll marry me yet in spite of myself . '' The gossip made him think about Adelia Williams . He had never thought about her before ; he was barely acquainted with her .
Now he remembered XXXXX she was a plump , jolly-looking little woman , noted for being a good housekeeper .
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