"Oh, it's too ridiculous for anything," said Miss Butterworth, laughing herself almost into hysterics. "Now, what, Keziah? What's too ridiculous? You _are_ the most provoking person!" "The idea of my getting married!" Mrs. Snow jumped up and seized Miss Butterworth's hands, and said: "Why, Keziah Butterworth! You don't tell me! You wicked, deceitful creature!" The three Misses Snow all jumped up with their mother, and pressed around the merry object of their earnest congratulations. "So unexpected and strange, you know," said the oldest. "So very unexpected!" said the second. "And so very strange, too!" echoed Number Three. "Well, it _is_ too ridiculous for anything," Miss Butterworth repeated. "The idea of my living to be an old maid, and, what's more, making up my mind to it, and then"--and then Miss Butterworth plunged into a new fit of merriment. "Well, Keziah, I hope you'll be very happy. Indeed I do," said Mrs. Snow, becoming motherly. "Happy all your life," said Miss Snow. "Very happy," said Number Two. "All your life long," rounded up the complement of good wishes from the lips of the youngest of the trio. "Well, I'm very much obliged to you--to you all "--said Miss Butterworth, wiping her eyes; "but it certainly is the most ridiculous thing. I say to myself sometimes: 'Keziah Butterworth! You little old fool! What _are_ you going to do with that man? How _are_ you going to live with him?' Goodness knows that I've racked my brain over it until I'm just about crazy. Don't mention it, but I believe I'll use him for a watch-dog--tie him up daytimes, and let him out nights, you know!" "Why, isn't he nice?" inquired Mrs. Snow. "Nice! He's as rough as a hemlock tree." "What do you marry him for?" inquired Mrs. Snow in astonishment. "I'm sure I don't know. I've asked myself the question a thousand times." "Don't you want to marry him?" "I don't know. I guess I do." "My dear," said Mrs. Snow, soberly, "This is a very solemn thing." "I don't see it in that light," said Miss Butterworth, indulging in a new fit of laughter. "I wish I could, but it's the funniest thing. I wake up laughing over it, and I go to sleep laughing over it, and I say to myself, 'what are you laughing at, you ridiculous creature?'" "Well, I believe you are a ridiculous creature," said Mrs. Snow. "I know I am, and if anybody had told me a year ago that I should ever marry Jim Fenton, I--" "Jim Fenton!" exclaimed the whole Snow family. "Well, what is there so strange about my marrying Jim Fenton?" and the little tailoress straightened in her chair, her eyes flashing, and the color mounting to her face. "Oh, nothing; but you know--it's such a surprise--he's so--he's so--well he's a--not cultivated--never has seen much society, you know; and lives almost out of the world, as it were."