And yet , in the face of all this , Mrs. Tom Sentner could bewail the fact that Josephine had no husband to look out for her . Josephine shrugged her shoulders and gave up the conundrum , merely saying ironically , in reply to her sister 's remark : `` And go to live with Zillah Hartley ? '' `` You know very well you would n't have to do that . Ever since John Hartley 's wife at the Creek died he 's been wanting Zillah to go and keep house for him , and if David got married Zillah 'd go quick . Catch her staying there if you were mistress ! And David has such a beautiful house ! It 's ten times finer than yours , though I do n't deny yours is comfortable . And his farm is the best in Meadowby and joins yours . Think what a beautiful property they 'd make together . You 're all right now , Josephine , but what will you do when you get old and have nobody to take care of you ? I declare the thought worries me at night till I ca n't sleep . '' `` I should have thought you had enough worries of your own to keep you awake at nights without taking over any of mine , '' said Josephine drily . `` As for old age , it 's a good ways off for me yet . When your Jack gets old enough to have some sense he can come here and live with me . But I 'm not going to marry David Hartley , you can depend on that , Ida , my dear . I wish you could have heard him rhyming off that poetry last night . It does n't seem to matter much what piece he recites -- first thing that comes into his head , I reckon . I remember one time he went clean through that hymn beginning , ` Hark from the tombs a doleful sound , ' and two years ago it was ` To Mary in Heaven , ' as lackadaisical as you please . I never had such a time to keep from laughing , but I managed it , for I would n't hurt his feelings for the world . No , I have n't any intention of marrying anybody , but if I had it would n't be dear old sentimental , easy-going David . ''
Mrs. Tom thumped a plucked goose down on the bench with an expression which said that she , for one , was n't going to waste any more words XXXXX an idiot .
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