more of her husband's attention than she duz. Folks talk a sight!" sez she.
And I sez, coolly, "They generally do; they mostly make out not to lose the use of their tongues by tyin' 'em to their teeth."
And I wouldn't ask a word more; but she went on: "Everybody sez Minnie acts more like the mistress of the house than Fidelia duz, dressed up and loiterin' round; though they do say that she is faithful and honest; but Fidelia duz the hardest of the work herself, and folks say that Minnie eats with them, and if anything is wanted Fidelia gits up and gits it, and Minnie sits like a lady."
"Well," sez I, "most probable that is Fidelia's fault. She wouldn't do it unless she wuz a fool!" sez I.
"And some one told me," sez the neighbor, "that hearn it from one that wuz knowin' to it, that Alcander had been known to pay Minnie compliments on her good looks and pretty dresses and find fault with Fidelia."
"Well," sez I, "that is nothin' but human man-nater; they will always find fault with their wives in preference to other wimmen; they're built in jest that way, and mebby they can't help it. I spoze mebby they think that they're complimentin' 'em, payin' attention to 'em; men are so queer."
And agin she looked real meanin', and sez, "Well, folks talk a sight."
And I sez agin, "They most generally do."
Well, Fidelia Pogram wuz dretful glad to see me, and so wuz Elinor. Alcander, owin' to the course of treatment he had had, acted some hauty, bein' I wuz a woman—Fidelia's fault, every mite on't. Alcander wuz warm-*hearted when he wuz married, and liked wimmen jest as
