Alexander Abraham made no comments on my operations , though he groaned loud and often , and said caustic things to poor Mr. Riley , who had n't the spirit to answer back after his drubbing by William Adolphus . I made allowances for Alexander Abraham because his vaccination had taken and his arm was real sore ; and I cooked elegant meals , not having much else to do , once I had got things scoured up . The house was full of provisions -- Alexander Abraham was n't mean about such things , I will say that for him . Altogether , I was more comfortable than I had expected to be . When Alexander Abraham would n't talk I let him alone ; and when he would I just said as sarcastic things as he did , only I said them smiling and pleasant . I could see he had a wholesome awe for me . But now and then he seemed to forget his disposition and talked like a human being . We had one or two real interesting conversations . Alexander Abraham was an intelligent man , though he had got terribly warped . I told him once I thought he must have been nice when he was a boy . One day he astonished me by appearing at the dinner table with his hair brushed and a white collar on . We had a tiptop dinner that day , and I had made a pudding that was far too good for a woman hater . When Alexander Abraham had disposed of two large platefuls of it , he sighed and said , `` You can certainly cook . It 's a pity you are such a detestable crank in other respects . '' `` It 's kind of convenient being a crank , '' I said . `` People are careful how they meddle with you . Have n't you found that out in your own experience ? '' `` I am NOT a crank , '' growled Alexander Abraham resentfully . `` All I ask is to be let alone . '' `` That 's the very crankiest kind of crank , '' I said .
`` A person who wants to be let alone flies in the face XXXXX Providence , who decreed that folks for their own good were not to be let alone .
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