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And you jest said I had convinced you that Dorlesky's errents wus errents of truth and justice, and you would love to do 'em." "Well, yes, yes I would love to as it were But really, my dear madam, much as I would like to oblige you, I have not the time to devote to it.
The President, and lots of 'em, I knew would take it right to heart, and feel dretfully worked up and slighted, if I didn't call on 'em. And then, I had to carry Dorlesky's errent to the President anyway. And I thought I would tend to it right away, so I sot out in good season. When you are a noticin' anybody, and makin' 'em perfectly happy, you feel well yourself.
I realized as I meandered along, that patriotism wus enwrappin' me from head to foot; for my polynay was long, and my head was completely full of Gass'es "Journal," and Starks'es "Life of Washington," and a few martyrs. I wus carryin' Dorlesky's errents. And my usial long green veil, with a lute-string ribbon run in, hung down on one side of my bunnet in its wonted way.
And I was ashamed enough as I looked Noah Webster's steel engraving in the face, to think I had misspoke myself, and called 'em gentlemen. Wall, from that minute I gin up doin' Dorlesky's errents. And I felt like death about it. But this thought held me up, that I had done my best.
Says I, "I'll send Bub Smith to Senator Logan'ses the minute I get back; for much as I want to obleege a neighbor, I can't traipse all over Washington, walkin' afoot, and carryin' Dorlesky's errent. But Bub is trusty: I'll send him." And I riz up to go. He riz up too. He is a gentleman; and, as I said, I like his looks.
With dignity and courtesy and prudence. And we have been proud of you, Josiah and me both have." He brightened up: he had been afraid, I could see, that we wuzn't suited with him. And it took a load offen him. His linement looked clearer than it had, and brighter. "And now," says I, sithin' a little, "I have got to do Dorlesky's errents." He, too, sithed. His linement fell.
"For," says I, "if they wouldn't listen to the deepest, most earnest, and most prayerful words that could come from the hearts of thousands and tens of thousands of the best mothers and wives and daughters in America, the most intelligent and upright and pure- minded women in the land, loaded down with their hopes, wet with their tears if they turned their hearts', prayers and deepest desires into ridicule, throwed 'em round under their feet, they wouldn't pay no attention to Dorlesky's errents, they wouldn't notice one little vegitable widow, humbly at that, and sort o' disagreeable."
"Now, can you do Dorlesky's errents? and will you?" He leaned forward with that deceitful and sort of disagreable smile of hisen, and took up one corner of my mantilly. It wus cut tab fashion; and he took up the tab, and says he, in a low, insinuatin' voice, and lookin' close at the edge of the tab, "Am I mistaken, or is this pipein'? or can it be Kensington tattin'?"
He said "he knew they would throw Dorlesky's errents under the table, and he was afraid they would throw him under too." So he backed out with Dorlesky's errents, and never give it to 'em at all. And I told him he did right.
And says I with a real lot of dignity, "You needn't try to impose on me, or Dorlesky's errent, by tryin' to send me round amongst them old Scottish chiefs. I respect them old chiefs, and always did; and I don't relish any light talk about 'em." Says he, "This is another William Wallace; and very probable he can do the errent."
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