"Well, now, Mr. Reynolds," rejoined Mrs. Younker, "I'm a considerable older woman nor you ar--that is, I mean to say, I'm a much older individule--and I 'spect I've had in my time some lettle experience in matters that you don't know nothing about; and so you musn't go to thinking hard o' me, ef I give you a lettle advice, and tell you to stay right whar you ar, and not stir a single step away for three weeks;--'cause ef you do, your wound may get rupturous agin, and in some lone place jest carry you right straight off into the shader o' the valley of death--as our good old Rev. Mr. Allprayer used to say, when he wanted to comfort the sick. O, dear good man he war, Preacher Allprayer,"--continued the voluble old lady, with a sigh, her mind now wholly occupied with his virtues--"dear good man he war! I jest remember--Lor bless ye, I'll never forgit it--how he come'd to me when I war sick--with tears a running out o' his eyes like he'd been eating raw inyuns, poor man--and told me that I war going to die right straight away, and never need to hope to be no better; and that I'd most likely go right straight to that orful place whar all bad folks goes to. O, the dear man! I never could help always liking him arter that--it made me feel so orful narvous and religious like. Why, what on yarth be you grinning at agin, Isaac?--jest for all the world like a monkey for?" "Nothing, mother," answered Isaac, nearly choking with smothered laughter; "only I war jest kind o' thinking what a kind comforter Mr. Allprayer war, to tell you you couldn't live any longer; and that when you died you'd jest go right straight to--to--" "Silence! you irrelevant boy, you!" (irreverent was doubtless meant) interrupted the dame, angrily: "How dare you to go making fun o' the pious Rev. Mr. Allprayer?--him as used to preach all Sunday long, and pray all Sunday night, and never did nothing wrong--though he did git turned out o' the meeting house arterward for getting drunk and swearing; but then the poor man cried and said it were nothing but a accident, which hadn't happened more nor ten times to him sence he'd bin a preacher of the everlasting gospel. Thar, thar, the crazy head's a giggling agin! I do wish, Ben, you'd see to Isaac, and make him behave himself--for he's got so tittery like, sence he's axed Peggy, thar's no use o' trying to do nothing with him." "Isaac! Isaac!" said his father with a reproving glance; and, as though that voice and look possessed a spell, the features of the young man instantly became grave, almost solemn. Then turning to Algernon, the old man continued: "As to leaving us, Mr. Reynolds, you of course know your own business best, and it arn't my desire to interfere; but ef you could put up with our humble fare, say a week or ten days longer, I think as how it would be much better for you, and would give us a deal of pleasure besides."