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cheat me out of 'em altogether。 If I can't look at 'em wet Sundays；
and shake 'em out； and have a good cry over 'em； I'll make 'em
up into a kind of dumb show that will mean something to me；
if it don't to anybody else。
〃We was the youngest of thirteen； Lovey and I；
and we was twins。 There 's never been more 'n half o'
me left sence she died。 We was born together； played and
went to school together； got engaged and married together；
and we all but died together； yet we wa'n't a mite alike。
There was an old lady come to our house once that used to say；
'There's sister Nabby； now： she 'n' I ain't no more alike
'n if we wa'n't two； she 's jest as diff'rent as I am t'
other way。' Well； I know what I want to put into my rag story；
Miss Hollis； but I don't hardly know how to begin。〃
Priscilla dropped her needle； and bent over the frame with interest。
〃A spray of two roses in the centre；there 's the beginning；
why； don't you see； dear Mrs。 Bascom？〃
〃Course I do；〃 said Diadema； diving to the bottom of
the dish…pan。 〃I've got my start now； and don't you say a word
for a minute。 The two roses grow out of one stalk； they'll be
Lovey and me； though I'm consid'able more like a potato blossom。
The stalk 's got to be green； and here is the very green silk mother
walked bride in； and Lovey and I had roundabouts of it afterwards。
She had the chicken…pox when we was about four years old；
and one of the first things I can remember is climbing up and
looking over mother's footboard at Lovey； all speckled。
Mother had let her slip on her new green roundabout
over her nightgown； just to pacify her； and there she set
playing with the kitten Reuben Granger had brought her。
He was only ten years old then； but he 'd begun courting Lovice。
〃The Grangers' farm joined ours。 They had eleven children；
and mother and father had thirteen； and we was always playing together。
Mother used to tell a funny story about that。 We were all little young
ones and looked pretty much alike； so she didn't take much notice
of us in the daytime when we was running out 'n' in； but at night when
the turn…up bedstead in the kitchen was taken down and the trundle…beds
were full； she used to count us over； to see if we were all there。
One night； when she 'd counted thirteen and set down to her sewing；
father come in and asked if Moses was all right； for one of the neighbors
had seen him playing side of the river about supper…time。 Mother knew she
'd counted us straight； but she went round with a candle to make sure。
Now； Mr。 Granger had a head as red as a shumac bush； and when she
carried the candle close to the beds to take another tally；
there was thirteen children； sure enough； but if there wa'n't a
red…headed Granger right in amongst our boys in the turn…up bedstead！
While father set out on a hunt for our Moses； mother yanked the sleepy
little red…headed Granger out o' the middle and took him home； and father
found Moses asleep on a pile of shavings under the joiner's bench。
〃They don't have such families nowadays。 One time when measles
went all over the village； they never came to us； and Jabe Slocum said
there wa'n't enough measles to go through the Dennett family； so they
didn't start in on 'em。 There； I ain't going to finish the stalk；
I'm going to draw in a little here and there all over the rug；
while I'm in the sperit of plannin' it； and then it will be plain
work of matching colors and filling out。
〃You see the stalk is mother's dress； and the outside green
of the moss roses is the same goods； only it 's our roundabouts。
I meant to make 'em red； when I marked the pattern；
and then fill out round 'em with a light color； but now I
ain't satisfied with anything but white； for nothing will do
in the middle of the rug but our white wedding dresses。
I shall have to fill in dark； then； or mixed。 Well； that won't
be out of the way； if it 's going to be a true rag story；
for Lovey's life went out altogether； and mine hasn't been
any too gay。
〃I'll begin on Lovey's rose first。 She was the prettiest and
the liveliest girl in the village； and she had more beaux than you
could shake a stick at。 I generally had to take what she left over。
Reuben Granger was crazy about her from the time she was knee…high；
but when he went away to Bangor to study for the ministry；
the others had it all their own way。 She was only seventeen；
she hadn't ever experienced religion； and she was mischeevous
as a kitten。
〃You remember you laughed； this morning； when Mr。 Bascom told
about Hogshead Jowett？ Well； he used to want to keep company
with Lovey； but she couldn't abide him； and whenever he come to court
her she clim' into a hogshead； and hid till after he 'd gone。
The boys found it out； and used to call him 'Hogshead Jowett。〃
He was the biggest fool in Foxboro' Four Corners； and that 's
saying consid'able； for Foxboro' is famous for its fools；
and always has been。 There was thirteen of 'em there one year。
They say a man come out from Portland； and when he got as fur
as Foxboro' he kep' inquiring the way to Dunstan； and I declare
if he didn't meet them thirteen fools； one after another；
standing in their front dooryards ready to answer questions。
When he got to Dunstan； says he； 'For the Lord's sake；
what kind of a village is that I've just went through？
Be they _all_ fools there？'
〃Hogshead was scairt to death whenever he come to see Lovice。
One night； when he 'd been there once； and she 'd hid； as she
always done； he come back a second time； and she went to the door；
not mistrusting it was him。 'Did you forget anything？'
says she； sparkling out at him through a little crack。
He was all taken aback by seeing her； and he stammered out；
'Yes； I forgot my han'k'chief； but it don't make no odds；
for I didn't pay out but fifteen cents for it two year ago；
and I don't make no use of it 'ceptins to wipe my nose on。'
How we did laugh over that！ Well； he had a conviction of sin
pretty soon afterwards； and p'r'aps it helped his head some；
at any rate he quit farming； and become a Bullockite preacher。
〃It seems odd； when Lovice wa'n't a perfessor herself；
she should have drawed the most pious young men in the village；
but she did： she had good Orthodox beaux； Free and Close Baptists；
Millerites and Adventists； all on her string together；
she even had one Cochranite； though the sect had mostly died out。
But when Reuben Granger come home； a full…feathered…out minister；
he seemed to strike her fancy as he never had before； though they
were always good friends from children。 He had light hair
and blue eyes and fair skin （his business being under cover kep'
him bleached out）； and he and Lovey made the prettiest couple
you ever see； for she was dark complected； and her cheeks no
otherways than scarlit the whole durin' time。 She had a change
of heart that winter； in fact she had two of 'em； for she
changed hers for Reuben's；