“How would you feel a thinkin’ that you had got to meet her lovin’, questionin’ eyes up in heaven, and when she asked you what you had done with her child you would have to say that you had spent all your life a tryin’ to pass laws that wuz the ruination of her darlin’; that you had done your best to frame laws so that them that prey upon innocence and childish ignorance could go unpunished, and that the blood of these souls, the agony of breakin’ hearts wuz a layin’ at your door? “How could you meet them sweet, lovin’ eyes and have to tell her this?” He jest crumpled right down, and almost buried his face in his white linen handkerchief, and give vent to some low groans that wuz damp with tears. That man had never had the truth brung right home to him before, and he trembled and he shrunk before it. And he promised me then and there that he would turn right round and do his very best to make laws to protect innocence and ignorance and to purify the hull statute-book all he could; and I felt that he had tackled a hard job, but I believed he would try his best. I guess he means to tell the truth. And I wuz almost overpolite to him after this, not wantin’ to do or say a thing to break up his good intentions; and when he went away he gin me a dretful meanin’, earnest look, and sez he: “You can depend upon me to keep my word.” And I believed he would. Poor little Raymond cried when he went away, cried and wept. But the Senator promised to let him come back before a great while for a good long visit—that comforted him a little. And we all kissed him and made much of him; and Snow, with the tears a standin’ in her sweet eyes, offered to gin him the doll she loves best—Samantha Maggie Tirzah Ann—if it would be any help to him. But he said he had ruther have her keep it. And I believe he told the truth. He is a good child. [Illustration: “I HAD BEEN OUT A WALKIN’.” ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XI. I HAD been out a walkin’ one day, and when I got back and went into the settin’ room, I see there wuz a visitor there, and, lo and behold, when I wuz introduced to him it wuz Col. Seybert! He wuz dretful polite—and I know well what belongs to good manners—and so I didn’t turn my back to him and walk off with my cap-strings a wavin’ back in a indignant, scornful way. No; he wuz a neighbor, and my son and daughter wuz a neighborin’ with him, so I treated him polite but cool, and shook his hand back and forth mebby once or twice, and sez: “I am well, and I hope I find you the same.” Oh, I know how to appear. I then went and sot down some distance from him. Genieve wuz a settin’ in the next room holdin’ Boy in her arms—he wuzn’t over and above well that day (cuttin’ teeth). And I looked out and smiled at ’em both; I then went to knittin’.