By and by we got to Kilburn and the engine broke down or somethin' and
we waited and waited. The conductor came in and said we'd better eat
here, because he didn't know when we'd get started. So we all got off
and went into the station where Mrs. Ruddy, the wife of the ticket
agent, had a restaurant. She looked like a hen in the early morning. Her
eyes were so quick and bright, and she kept goin' around askin' us to
have things. There was a jar of jelly on the table all sealed up, and
she said, "Won't you have some of the jell?" Mr. Miller said, "No, thank
you." But Mitch took up the jar and tried to get the top off. It would
have took a monkey wrench to get it off; so after tuggin' at it and not
bein' able to budge it, he put it down. Just then she came up and said,
"Do have some of the jell." Mitch began to laugh. Then pa took the jar
and he couldn't get the top off either, and he put it down. She came
back again and said, "Won't you have some of the jell, Mr. Armstrong?"
"I don't mind if I do," says John, and he took hold of the jar. Findin'
the top on, he tried to get it off. Then Mrs. Ruddy says, "Oh, the top
ain't off." I believe she knew it all the time. The remark sounded just
like a woman. So she went into the kitchen for an opener and came back
and said she couldn't find none. Then she took the jar and got her apron
about it and screwed up her face and tried her best. But the top
wouldn't budge. Mitch picked up the poker by the stove and says, "Hit it
with this, Mrs. Ruddy." And she says, "I'll break the jar. Just wait,
I'll set it in some hot water for a bit and then it'll come off." So she
disappeared with the jar. And while she was gone the conductor came in
and yelled, "All aboard." And pa laid down some money and we ran for the
train. Just as we was all on the platform and the train begin to move,
Mrs. Ruddy came to the station door and said somethin'. John began to
snicker and laugh, and says to pa, "Did you hear what she said--by God,
she says it's off--let's go back and have some jell."