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if he 'd 'a' waited two months； I believe I could 'a' told him。
_In_fidelity would 'a' ben a mighty sight more 'propriate； but either
of 'em is too long fer a name； so they got to callin' her Fiddy。
Wall； Fiddy didn't waste no time； she was nigh onto eighteen years
old when Dixie went there to board； 'n' she begun huneyfuglin'
him's soon as ever she set eyes on him。 Folks warned him；
but 't wa'n't no use； he was kind o' bewitched with her from the first。
She wa'n't so han'some； neither。 Blamed 'f I know how they do it；
let 'em alone； 'f yer know when yer 're well off； 's my motter。
She was red…headed； but her hair become her somehow when she curled
'n' frizzed it over a karosene lamp； 'n' then wound it round 'n'
round her head like ropes o' carnelian。 She hedn't any particular
kind of a nose nor mouth nor eyes； but gorry！ when she looked at yer；
yer felt kind as if yer was turnin' to putty inside。〃
〃I know what yer mean；〃 said Steve interestedly。
〃She hed a figger jest like them fashion…paper pictures you
've seen； an' the very day any new styles come to Boston Fiddy
Maddox would hev 'em before sundown； the biggest bustles 'n'
the highest hats 'n' the tightest skirts 'n' the longest tails
to 'em； she'd git 'em somehow； anyhow！ Dixie wa'n't out o'
money when he come here； an' a spell afterwards there was
more 'n a thousand dollars fell to him from his father's
folks down South。 Well； Fiddy made that fly； I tell you！
Dixie bought a top buggy 'n' a sorrel hoss； 'n' they was on the road
most o' the time when he wa'n't to work； 'n' when he was；
she 'd go with Lem Simmons； 'n' Dixie none the wiser。
Mis Maddox was lookin' up a new husband jest then； so 't she
didn't interfere〃
〃She was the same kind o' goods； anyhow；〃 interpolated Ob Tarbox。
〃Yes； she was one of them women folks that air so light…minded
you can't anchor 'em down with a sewin'…machine； nor a dishpan；
nor a husband 'n' young ones； nor no namable kind of a thing；
the least wind blows 'em here 'n' blows 'em there； like dandelion puffs。
As time went on； the widder got herself a beau now 'n' then；
but as fast as she hooked 'em； Fiddy up 'n' took 'em away from her。
You see she 'd gethered in most of her husbands afore Fiddy was old
enough to hev her finger in the pie； but she cut her eye…teeth early；
Fiddy did； 'n' there wa'n't no kind of a feller come to set up
with the widder but she 'd everlastin'ly grab him； if she hed
any use fer him； 'n' then there 'd be Hail Columby； I tell yer。
But Dixie； he was 's blind 's a bat 'n' deef 's a post。 He could
n't see nothin' but Fiddy； 'n' he couldn't see her very plain。〃
〃He hed warnin's enough；〃 put in Pitt Packard； though Jabe Slocum
never needed any assistance in spinning a yarn。
〃Warnin's！ I should think he hed。 The Seventh Day Baptist
minister went so fur as to preach at him。 'The Apostle Paul gin heed；'
was the text。 'Why did he gin heed？' says he。 'Because he heerd。
If he hadn't 'a' heerd； he couldn't 'a' gin heed； 'n' 't wouldn't 'a' done
him no good to 'a' heerd 'thout he gin heed！' Wall； it helped consid'ble
many in the congregation； 'specially them that was in the habit of hearin'
'n' heedin'； but it rolled right off Dixie like water off a duck's back。
He 'n' Fiddy was seen over to the ballin' alley to Wareham next day；
'n' they didn't come back for a week。〃
〃'He gin her his hand；
And he made her his own；'〃
sang little Brad Gibson。
〃He hed gin her his hand； but no minister nor
trial…jestice nor eighteen…carat ring nor stificate could 'a'
made Fiddy Maddox anybody's own 'ceptin' the devil's； an'
he wouldn't 'a' married her； she'd 'a' ben too near kin。
We'd never 'spicioned she 'd git 's fur 's marryin' anybody； 'n' she
only married Dixie 'cause he told her he 'd take her to the
Wareham House to dinner； 'n' to the County Fair afterwards；
if any other feller hed offered to take her to supper；
'n' the theatre on top o' that； she 'd 'a' married him instid。〃
〃How 'd the old woman take it？〃 asked Steve。
〃She disowned her daughter _punctilio：_ in the first place；
fer runnin' away 'stid o' hevin' a church weddin'； 'n' second place；
fer marryin' a pauper （that was what she called him； 'n' it was true；
for they 'd spent every cent he hed）； 'n' third place； fer alienatin'
the 'fections of a travelin' baker…man she hed her eye on fer herself。
He was a kind of a flour…food peddler； that used to drive a cart round
by Hard Scrabble； Moderation； 'n' Scratch Corner way。 Mis' Maddox used
to buy all her baked victuals of him； 'specially after she found
out he was a widower beginnin' to take notice。 His cart used
to stand at her door so long everybody on the rout would complain o'
stale bread。 But bime bye Fiddy begun to set at her winder when
he druv up； 'n' bime bye she pinned a blue ribbon in her collar。
When she done that； Mis' Maddox alles hed to take a back seat。
The boys used to call it a danger signal。 It kind o' drawed yer
'tention to p'ints 'bout her chin 'n' mouth 'n' neck； 'n' one thing
'n' 'nother； in a way that was cal'lated to snarl up the thoughts o'
perfessors o' religion 'n' turn 'em earthways。 There was a spell
I hed to say； '_Remember_ _Rhapseny！_ _Remember_ _Rhapseny！_'
over to myself whenever Fiddy put on her blue ribbons。 Wall； as I say；
Fiddy set at the winder； the baker…man seen the blue ribbons；
'n' Mis' Maddox's cake was dough。 She put on a red ribbon；
but land！ her neck looked 's if somebody 'd gone over it with a harrer！
Then she stomped round 'n' slat the dish…rag； but 't wa'n't no use。
'Gracious； mother；' says Fiddy； 'I don't do nothin' but set at
the winder。 The sun shines for all。' 'You're right it does；'
says Mis' Maddox； ''n' that's jest what I complain of。
I'd like to get a change to shine on something myself。'
〃But the baker…man kep' on comin'； though when he got
to the Maddoxes' doorsteps he couldn't make change for a
quarter nor tell pie from bread； an' sure 's you're born；
the very day Fiddy went away to be married to Dixie； that mornin'
she drawed that everlastin' numhead of a flour…food peddler
out into the orchard； 'n' cut off a lock o' her hair；
'n' tied it up with a piece o' her blue ribbon； 'n' give it
to him； an' old Mis' Bascom says； when he went past her house
he was gazin' at it 'n' kissin' of it； 'n' his horse meanderin'
on one side the road 'n' the other； 'n' the door o' the cart
open 'n' slammin' to 'n' fro； 'n' ginger cookies spillin'
out all over the lot。 He come back to the Maddoxes next morning'
（'t wa'n't his day； but his hoss couldn't pull one way
when Fiddy's ribbon was pullin' t'other）； an' when he found
out she 'd gone with Dixie； he cussed 'n' stomped 'n' took
on like a loontic； an' when Mis' Maddox hinted she was ready
to heal the wownds Fiddy 'd inflicted； he stomped 'n' cussed
wuss 'n' ever； 'n' the neighbors say he called her a hombly
old trollop； an' fired the bread loaves all over t