And so, after considerable urgin' on her part (for I kinder hung back and hated to tackle the job, but not knowin' but that it wuz duty's call), I finally consented, and it wuz arranged this way: She wuz to come down to our house some day, early in the mornin', and stay all day, and she wuz to stand up in front of me and rehearse the lecture over to me, and I wuz to set and hear it, and when she came to a place where I didn't agree with her I wuz to lift up my right hand and she wuz to stop rehearsin', and we wuz to argue with each other back and forth and try to convince each other. And when we got it all arranged Josiah and I set out for home, I calm in my frame, though dreadin' the job some. CHAPTER III. But Josiah Allen wuz jest crazy over that lecture--crazy as a loon. He raved about it all the way home, and he would repeat over lots of it to me. About “how a man's love was the firm anchor that held a woman's happiness stiddy; how his calm and peaceful influence held her mind in a serene calm--a waveless repose; how tender men wuz of the fair sect, how they watched over 'em and held 'em in their hearts.” “Oh,” sez he, “it went beyond anything I ever heard of. I always knew that men wuz good and pious, but I never realized how dumb pious they wuz till to-night.” “She said,” sez I, in considerable dry axents--not so dry as I keep by me, but pretty dry--“No true man would let a woman perform any manuel labor.” “Wall, he won't. There ain't no need of your liftin' your little finger in emanuel labor.” “Manuel, Josiah.” “Wall, I said so, didn't I? Hain't I always holdin' you back from work?” “Yes,” sez I. “You often speak of it, Josiah. You are as good,” sez I, firmly, “full as good as the common run of men, and I think a little better. But there are things that have to be done. A married woman that has a house and family to see to and don't keep a hired girl, can't get along without some work and care.” “Wall I say,” sez he, “that there hain't no need of you havin' a care, not a single care. Not as long as I live--if it wuzn't for me, you might have some cares, and most probable would, but not while I live.” I didn't say nothin' back, for I don't want to hurt his feelin's, and won't, not if I can help it. And he broke out again anon, or nearly anon-- [Illustration: “OH, WHAT A LECTURE THAT WUZ.”] “Oh, what a lecture that wuz. Did you notice when she wuz goin' on perfectly beautiful, about the waveless sea of married life--did you notice how it took the school house down? And I wuz perfectly mortified to see you didn't weep or even clap your hands.” “Wall,” sez I, firmly, “when I weep or when I clap, I weep and clap on the side of truth. And I can't see things as she duz. I have been a-sailin' on that sea she depictured for over twenty years, and have never wanted to leave it for any other waters. But, as I told her, and tell you now, it hain't always a smooth sea, it has its ups and downs, jest like any other human states.”