And Tirzah Ann told me (she couldn't bear her) that if she wuz in my place, she would start her off. Sez she: "She has plenty of brothers and sisters, and a home of her own, and why should she come here to torment you and father;" and sez she, "I'll talk to her, mother, I'd jest as leve as not." Sez I, "Tirzah Ann, if you say a word to her, I'll--I'll never put confidence in you agin;" sez I, "Life is full of tribulations, and we must expect to bear our crosses;" sez I, "The old martyrs went through more than Lodema." Sez Tirzah Ann, "I believe Lodema would have wore out John Rogers." And I don't know but she would, but I didn't encourage her by ownin' it up that she would; but I declare for't, I believe she would have been more tegus than the nine children, and the one at the breast, any way. Wall, as I said, it wuz durin' the fifth week that Josiah Allen turned right round, and used her first rate. And when she would talk before folks about how much filial affection she had for him, and about his always havin' been jest like a parent to her, and everything of the kind--he never talked back a mite, but looked clever, and told me in confidence, "That he had turned over a new leaf, and he wuz goin' to surprise her--give her a happy surprise." And he seemed, instead of lovin' to rile her up, as he had, to jest put his hull mind on the idee of the joyful surprise. Wall, I am always afraid (with reason) of Josiah Allen's enterprizes. But do all I could, he wouldn't tell me one word about what he wuz goin' to do, only he kep it up, kep a-sayin' that, "It wuz somethin' I couldn't help approvin' of, and it wuz somethin' that would happify me, and be a solid comfort to her, and a great gain and honor." So (though I trembled some for the result) I had to let it go on, for she wuz one of the relations on his own side, and I knew it wouldn't do for me to interfere too much, and meddle. Why, he did come right out one day and give hints to me to that effect. Sez I, "Why do you go on and be so secret about it? Why don't you tell your companion all about it, what you are a-goin' to do, and advise with her?" And he sez, "I guess I know what I am about. She is one of the relations on my side, and I guess I have got a few rights left, and a little spunk." "Yes," sez I, sadly, "you have got the spunk." "Wall," sez he, "I guess I can spunk up, and do somethin' for one of my own relations, without any interference or any advice from any of the Smith family, or anybody else." Sez I, "I don't want to stop your doin' all you can for Lodema, but why not tell what you are a-goin' to do?" "It will be time enough when the time comes," sez he. "You will find it out in the course of next week." Wall, it run along to the middle of the next week. And one day I had jest sot down to tie off a comforter.