The Complete Works of Artemus Ward — Part 3: Stories and RomancesWard, Artemus
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The Complete Works of Artemus Ward — Part 3: Stories and Romances
Ward, Artemus
American wit and humor
"You bet I will!" said Susan, with a tear-suffused cheek.
"Well, as for me," said the practical Betsy, "I ain't on the
Strew, much, but I shall ride at the head of the funeral
procession!"
"Not if I've been introduced to myself, you won't," said the
golden-haired Nelly; "that's my position. You bet your bonnet-
strings it is."
"Children," said Reginald's mother, "you must do some crying, you
know, on the day of the funeral; and how many pocket-handkerchers
will it take to go round? Betsy, you and Nelly ought to make one
do between you."
"I'll tear her eyes out if she perpetrates a sob on my
handkercher!" said Nelly.
"Dear daughters in-law," said Reginald's mother, "how unseemly is
this anger! Mules is five hundred dollars a span, and every
identical mule my poor boy had has been gobbled up by the red
man. I knew when my Reginald staggered into the door-yard that
he was on the Die, but if I'd only thunk to ask him about them
mules ere his gentle spirit took flight, it would have been four
thousand dollars in OUR pockets, and NO mistake! Excuse those
real tears, but you've never felt a parent's feelin's."
"It's an oversight," sobbed Maria. "Don't blame us!"
CHAPTER III.--DUST TO DUST.
The funeral passed off in a very pleasant manner, nothing
occuring to mar the harmony of the occasion. By a happy thought
of Reginald's mother, the wives walked to the grave twenty
abreast, which rendered that part of the ceremony thoroughly
impartial.
. . . .
That night the twenty wives, with heavy hearts, sought their
twenty respective couches. But no Reginald occupied those twenty
respective couches--Reginald would never more linger all night in
blissful repose in those twenty respective couches--Reginald's
head would never more press the twenty respective pillows of
those twenty respective couches--never, nevermore!
. . . .
In another house, not many leagues from the House of Mourning, a
gray-haired woman was weeping passionately. "He died," she
cried, "he died without sigerfyin', in any respect, where them
mules went to!"
CHAPTER IV.--MARRIED AGAIN.
Two years are supposed to elapse between the third and fourth
chapters of this original American romance.
A manly Mormon, one evening, as the sun was preparing to set
among a select apartment of gold and crimson clouds in the
western horizon--although for that matter the sun has a right to
"set" where it wants to, and so, I may add has a hen--a manly
Mormon, I say, tapped gently at the door of the mansion of the
late Reginald Gloverson.
The door was opened by Mrs. Sarah Gloverson.
"Is this the house of the widow Gloverson!" the Mormon asked.
"It is," said Susan.
"And how many is there of she?" inquired the Mormon.
"There is about twenty of her, including me," courteously
returned the fair Susan.
"Can I see her?"
"You can."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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