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Men； Women and Ghosts
mornin'。 Yes； it do seem kinder queer Not to be goin' to see Cherry's
Orchard no more； But Land Sakes！ When a change's comin'； Why； I
al'ays say it can't come too quick。 Now； that's real kind o' you； Your
doughnuts is always so tasty。 Yes； I'm goin' to Chicago； To my niece； She's
married to a fine man； hardware business； An' doin' real well； she tells me。
Lizzie's be'n at me to go out ther for the longest while。 She ain't got no
kith nor kin to Chicago； you know She's rented me a real nice little flat；
Same house as hers； An' I'm goin' to try that city livin' folks say's so
pleasant。 Oh； yes； he was real generous； Paid me a sight o' money fer the
Orchard； I told him 'twouldn't yield nothin' but stones； But he ain't farmin'
it。 Lor'； no； Mis' Priest； He's jest took it to set and look at the view。 Mebbe
he wouldn't be so stuck on the view Ef he'd seed it every mornin' and night
for forty year Same's as I have。 I dessay it's pretty enough； But it's so
pressed into me I c'n see't with my eyes shut。 No。 I ain't cold； Mis' Priest；
Don't shut th' door。 I'll be all right in a minit。 But I ain't a mite sorry to
leave that view。 Well； mebbe 'tis queer to feel so； An' mebbe 'taint。 My！
But that tea's revivin'。 Old things ain't always pleasant things； Mis' Priest。
No； no； I don't cal'late on comin' back； That's why I'd ruther be to Chicago；
Boston's too near。 It ain't cold； Mis' Priest； It's jest my thoughts。 I ain't sick；
only Mis' Priest； ef you've nothin' ter take yer time； An' have a mind to
listen； Ther's somethin' I'd like ter speak about I ain't never mentioned it；
But I'd like to tell yer 'fore I go。 Would you mind lowerin' them shades；
Fall twilight's awful grey； An' that fire's real cosy with the shades drawed。
Well； I guess folks about here think I've be'n dret'ful onsociable。 You
needn't say 'taint so； 'cause I know diff'rent。 An' what's more； it's true。 Well；
the reason is I've be'n scared out o' my life。 Scared ev'ry minit o' th' time；
fer eight year。 Eight mortal year 'tis； come next June。 'Twas on the
eighteenth o' June； Six months after I'd buried my husband； That somethin'
happened ter me。 Mebbe you'll mind that afore that I was a cheery body。
Hiram was too； Al'ays liked to ask a neighbor in； An' ev'n when he died；
Barrin' low sperrits； I warn't averse to seein' nobody。 But that eighteenth o'
June changed ev'rythin'。 I was doin' most o' th' farmwork myself； With jest
a hired boy； Clarence King； 'twas； Comin' in fer an hour or two。 Well； that
eighteenth o' June I was goin' round； Lockin' up and seein' to things 'fore I
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Men； Women and Ghosts
went to bed。 I was jest steppin' out t' th' barn； Goin' round outside 'stead o'
through the shed； 'Cause there was such a sight o' moonlight Somehow or
another I thought 'twould be pretty outdoors。 I got settled for pretty things
that night； I guess。 I ain't stuck on 'em no more。 Well； them laylock bushes
side o' th' house Was real lovely。 Glitt'rin' and shakin' in the moonlight； An'
the smell o' them rose right up An' most took my breath away。 The colour
o' the spikes was all faded out； They never keep their colour when the
moon's on 'em； But the smell fair 'toxicated me。 I was al'ays partial to a
sweet scent； An' I went close up t' th' bushes So's to put my face right into
a flower。 Mis' Priest； jest's I got breathin' in that laylock bloom I saw；
layin' right at my feet； A man's hand！ It was as white's the side o' th' house；
And sparklin' like that lum'nous paint they put on gate…posts。 I screamed
right out； I couldn't help it； An' I could hear my scream Goin' over an' over
In that echo be'ind th' barn。 Hearin' it agin an' agin like that Scared me so；
I dar'sn't scream any more。 I jest stood ther； And looked at that hand。 I
thought the echo'd begin to hammer like my heart； But it didn't。 There was
only th' wind； Sighin' through the laylock leaves； An' slappin' 'em up agin
the house。 Well； I guess I looked at that hand Most ten minits； An' it never
moved； Jest lay there white as white。 After a while I got to thinkin' that o'
course 'Twas some drunken tramp over from Redfield。 That calmed me
some； An' I commenced to think I'd better git him out From under them
laylocks。 I planned to drag him in t' th' barn An' lock him in ther till
Clarence come in th' mornin'。 I got so mad thinkin' o' that all…fired brazen
tramp Asleep in my laylocks； I jest stooped down and grabbed th' hand
and give it an awful pull。 Then I bumped right down settin' on the ground。
Mis' Priest； ther warn't no body come with the hand。 No； it ain't cold； it's
jest that I can't abear thinkin' of it； Ev'n now。 I'll take a sip o' tea。 Thank
you； Mis' Priest； that's better。 I'd ruther finish now I've begun。 Thank you；
jest the same。 I dropped the hand's ef it'd be'n red hot 'Stead o' ice cold。 Fer
a minit or two I jest laid on that grass Pantin'。 Then I up and run to them
laylocks An' pulled 'em every which way。 True es I'm settin' here； Mis'
Priest； Ther warn't nothin' ther。 I peeked an' pryed all about 'em； But ther
warn't no man ther Neither livin' nor dead。 But the hand was ther all right；
Upside down； the way I'd dropped it； And glist'nin' fit to dazzle yer。 I don't
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Men； Women and Ghosts
know how I done it； An' I don't know why I done it； But I wanted to git
that dret'ful hand out o' sight I got in t' th' barn； somehow； An' felt roun' till
I got a spade。 I couldn't stop fer a lantern； Besides； the moonlight was
bright enough in all conscience。 Then I scooped that awful thing up in th'
spade。 I had a sight o' trouble doin' it。 It slid off； and tipped over； and I
couldn't bear Ev'n to touch it with my foot to prop it； But I done it
somehow。 Then I carried it off be'ind the barn； Clost to an old apple…tree
Where you couldn't see from the house； An' I buried it； Good an' deep。
I don't rec'lect nothin' more o' that night。 Clarence woke me up in th'
mornin'； Hollerin' fer me to come down and set th' milk。 When he'd gone； I
stole roun' to the apple…tree And seed the earth all new turned Where I left
it in my hurry。 I did a heap o' gardenin' That mornin'。 I couldn't cut no big
sods Fear Clarence would notice and ask me what I wanted 'em fer； So I
got teeny