“Yes, there are such wimmen, Josiah, but think of the sweet and saintly souls that have given all their lives, and hopes, and thoughts to the Meetin' House--think of the throngs to-day that crowd the aisles of the Sanctuary--there are five wimmen to one man, I believe, in all the meetin' houses to-day a-workin' in His name. True Daughters of the King, no matter what their creed may be--Catholic or Protestant. “And while wimmen have done all this work for the Meetin' House, the Meetin' House ort to be honorable and do well by her.” “Wall, hain't _he_?” sez Josiah. “No, _she_ hain't,” sez I. “Wall, what petickuler fault do you find? What has _he_ done lately to rile you up?” Sez I, “_She_ wuz in the wrong on't in not lettin' wimmen set on the Conference.” “Wall, I say _he_ wuz right,” sez Josiah. “_He_ knew, and I knew, that wimmen wuzn't strong enough to set.” “Why,” sez I, “it don't take so much strength to set as it duz to stand up. And after workin' as hard as wimmen have for the Meetin' House, she ort to have the priveledge of settin'. And I am goin' to write out jest what I think about it.” “Wall,” sez Josiah, as he started for the barn with the hen feed, “don't be too severe with the Meetin' House.” And then, after he went out, he opened the door agin and stuck his head in and sez: “Don't be too hard on _him_” And then he shet the door quick, before I could say a word. But good land! I didn't care. I knew I could say what I wanted to with my faithful pen--and I am bound to say it. JOSIAH ALLEN'S WIFE, Bonny View, near Adams, New York, Oct. 14th, 1890. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER V. CHAPTER VI. CHAPTER VII. CHAPTER VIII. CHAPTER IX. CHAPTER X. CHAPTER XI. CHAPTER XII. CHAPTER XIII. CHAPTER XIV. CHAPTER XV. CHAPTER XVI CHAPTER XVII CHAPTER XVIII CHAPTER XIX CHAPTER XX CHAPTER XXI CHAPTER XXII CHAPTER XXIII CHAPTER XXIV CHAPTER XXV CHAPTER XXVI CHAPTER XXVII CHAPTER XXVIII _Publishers' Appendix_ CHAPTER I. When I first heard that wimmen wuz goin' to make a effort to set on a Conference, it wuz on a Wednesday, as I remember well. For my companion, Josiah Allen, had drove over to Loontown in a Democrat and in a great hurry, to meet two men who wanted him to go into a speculation with 'em. And it wuz kinder curious to meditate on it, that they wuz all deacons, every one on 'em. Three on 'em wuz Baptis'es, and two on 'em had jined our meetin' house, deacons, and the old name clung to 'em--we spoze because they wuz such good, stiddy men, and looked up to. Take 'em all together there wuz five deacons. The two foreign deacons from 'way beyond Jonesville, Deacon Keeler and Deacon Huffer, and our own three Jonesvillians--Deacon Henzy, Deacon Sypher, and my own particular Deacon, Josiah Allen.