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Wall, Miss Huff, Miss Cephas Huff, wouldn't give anything because one of the little Smedleys had lied to her. She wouldn't encourage lyin'. And I told her I didn't believe she would be half so apt to reform him on an empty stomach, as after he wuz fed up. But she wouldn't yield. Wall, Miss Daggett said she would give, and give abundant, only she didn't consider it a worthy object.
Why, they come, and they kept a comin'. And it did seem as if every one of 'em had tried to see who could bring the most. Why, they brought enough to keep the Smedleys comfortable all winter long. It wuz a sight to see 'em. It wuz a curious sight, too, to set and watch what some of the folks said and done as they brought their pounds in.
I asked her to give a pound, or pounds, as she felt disposed. But she answered me firmly that she could't give one cent to the Smedleys, she wuz principled against it. And I asked her, "Why?" And she said, because the old lady wuz proud and wanted a home, and she thought that pride wuz so wicked, that it ort to be put down.
"Wall, then," sez I, "do you s'pose the Lord has any objections to her working for Him now?" "Why no, I don't know as the Lord would object." "Wall," sez I, "we call this work the Lord's work, and if He is satisfied with Miss Bibbins, we ort to be." But she kinder nestled round, and I see she wuzn't satisfied, but I couldn't stop to argue, and I tackled her then and there about the Smedleys.
Miss Bombus wouldn't give because I didn't put the names in the Jonesville Augur or Gimlet, for she said, "Let your good deeds so shine." "Why," says I, "Miss Whymper wouldn't give because she wanted to give secreter, and you won't give because you want to give publicker, and you both quote Scripter, but it don't seem to help the Smedleys much."
And at the last on't Elder Minkley made a prayer a very thankful and good prayer, but short. And then they went home. Wall, the next mornin' we started to carry the things to the Smedleys. It wuz very early, for Josiah had got to go clear to Loontown on business, and I wuz goin' to stay with the childern till he got back.
And it did seem, and all the neighbors said so, that it wuz the very best party they had ever attended to. And before they went away they made a motion some of the responsable men did some made the motions and some seconded 'em that they would adjourn till jest one year from that night, when if the Smedleys was still alive and in need we would have jest such a party ag'in.
It wuz a very cold mornin'. We hadn't heard from the Smedleys for two or three days, because we wanted to surprise 'em, so we didn't want to give 'em a hint beforehand of what we wuz a doin'. So, as I say, it wuz a number of days sense we had heard from 'em, and the weather wuz cold. When we got to the door it seemed to be dretful still there inside.
What under the sun do you want to pound the Smedleys for? I should think they had trouble enough without poundin' 'em. Why," says he, "the old woman couldn't stand any poundin' at all, without killin' her right out and out, and the childern haint over tough any of 'em. Why, what has got into you? I never knew you to propose anything of that wicked kind before.
There I sot the same Samantha and the thought of the Smedleys, the same old Smedleys, was a hantin' of me, the same old hant, and I says to my Josiah, says I: "Josiah, I can't help thinkin' about the Smedleys," says I. "What do you think about havin' a pound party for 'em, and will you take holt, and do your part?" "Good land, Samantha! Are you crazy? Crazy as a loon?
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