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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 the dooryard；
he was so crazy at bein' cheated。
〃Wall； to go back to DixieI'll be comin' right along； boys。〃
（This to Brad Gibson； who was taking his farewell drink of ginger tea
preparatory to beginning work。）
〃I pity you； Steve！〃 exclaimed Brad； between deep swallows。
〃If you 'd known when you was well off； you 'd 'a' stayed in Boston。
If Jabe hed a story started； he 'd talk three days after he was dead。〃
〃Go 'long； leave me be！ Wall； as I was sayin'； Dixie brought Fiddy home
（'Dell；' he called her）； an' they 'peared bride 'n' groom at meetin'
next Sunday。 The last hundred dollars he hed in the world hed gone into
the weddin' tower 'n' on to Fiddy's back。 He hed a new suit； 'n' he looked
like a major。 You ain't got no idea what he was； 'cause his eyes is dull now；
'n' he 's bowed all over； 'n' ain't shaved nor combed； hardly； but they was
the han'somest couple that ever walked up the broad aisle。 She hed on a green
silk dress； an' a lace cape that was like a skeeter nettin' over her neck an'
showed her bare skin through； an' a hat like an apple orchard in full bloom；
hummin'…bird an' all。 Dixie kerried himself as proud as Lucifer。
He didn't look at the minister 'n' he didn't look at the congregation；
his great eyes was glued on Fiddy； as if he couldn't hardly keep from eatin'
of her up。 An' she behaved consid'able well for a few months； as long
's the novelty lasted an' the silk dresses was new。 Before Christmas；
though； she began to peter out 'n' git slack…twisted。 She allers hated
housework as bad as a pig would a penwiper； an' Dixie hed to git
his own breakfast afore he went to work； or go off on an empty stomach。
Many 's the time he 's got her meals for her 'n' took 'em to her on a waiter。
Them secesh fellers'll wait on women folks long as they can stan' up。
〃Then bime bye the baby come along； but that made
things wuss 'stid o' better。 She didn't pay no more
'tention to it than if it hed belonged to the town。
She 'd go off to dances； an' leave Dixie to home tendin'
cradle； but that wa'n't no hardship to him for he was 'bout
as much wropped up in the child as he was in Fiddy。
Wall； sir； 'bout a month ago she up 'n' disappeared off the face o'
the airth 'thout sayin' a word or leavin' a letter。
She took her clo'es； but she never thought o' takin' the baby；
one baby more or less didn't make no odds to her s' long 's she
hed that skeeter…nettin' cape。 Dixie sarched fer her high an'
low fer a fortnight； but after that he give it up as a bad job。
He found out enough； I guess； to keep him pretty busy thinkin'
what he 'd do next。 But day before yesterday the same circus
that plays here this afternoon was playin' to Wareham。
A lot of us went over on the evenin' train； an' we coaxed
Dixie into goin'； so 's to take his mind off his trouble。
But land！ he didn't see nothin'。 He 'd walk right up
the lions 'n' tigers in the menagerie as if they was cats
'n' chickens； an' all the time the clown was singin'
he looked like a dumb animile that 's hed a bullet put in him。
There was lots o' side shows； mermaids 'n' six…legged calves 'n'
spotted girls； 'n' one thing 'n' 'nother； an' there was one o'
them whirligig machines with a mess o' rocking'…hosses goin'
round 'n' round； 'n' an organ in the middle playin' like sixty。
I wish we 'd 'a' kept clear o' the thing； but as bad luck would
hev it； we stopped to look； an' there on top o' two high…steppin'
white wooden hosses； set Mis' Fiddy an' that dod…gasted
light…complected baker…man！ If ever she was suited to a dot；
it was jest then 'n' there。 She could 'a' gone prancin'
round that there ring forever 'n' forever； with the whoopin'
'n' hollerin' 'n' whizzin' 'n' whirlin' soundin' in her ears；
'n' the music playin' like mad； 'n' she with nothin'
to do but stick on 'n' let some feller foot the bills。
Somebody must 'a' ben thinkin' o' Fiddy Madd