“Is’poseI’llhafftouseit“；andthatendediti-Theywereafamiliarsightastheyrodedowntheroadtowardtownnextday。Asusual，Mrs。Ripleysatupstraightandstiffas“ahalf-drovewedgeinawhite-oaklog。“Thedaywascoldandraw。Therewassomesnowontheground，butnotenoughtowarranttheuseofsleighs。Itwas“neithersleddin’norwheelin’。“Theoldpeoplesatonaboardlaidacrossthebox，andhadanoldquiltortwodrawnupovertheirknees。Tewksburylayinthebackpartoftheboxwhichwasfilledwithhay，wherehejouncedupanddown，incompanywithaqueeroldtrunkandabrand-newimitation-leatherhandbag，Thereisnoridequitesodesolateanduncomfortableasarideinalumberwagononacolddayinautumn，whenthegroundisfrozenandthewindisstrongandrawwiththreateningsnow。Thewagonwheelsgrindalonginthesnow，thecoldgetsinundertheseatatthecalvesofone’slegs，andtheceaselessbumpingofthebottomoftheboxonthefeetisfrightful。
Therewasnotmuchtalkonthewaydown，andwhatlittletherewasrelatedmainlytocertaindomesticregulationstobestrictlyfollowedregardingchurning，pickles，pancakes，etc。Mrs。Ripleyworeashawloverherheadandcarriedherqueerlittleblackbonnetinherhand。Tewksburywasalsowrappedinashawl。Theboy’steethwerepoundingtogetherlikecastanetsbythetimetheyreachedCedarville，andeverymuscleachedwiththefatigueofshaking。Afterafewpurchasestheydrovedowntotherailwaystation，afrightfullittledencommonintheWestwhichwasalwaystoohotortoocold。Ithappenedtobehotjustnow-afactwhichrejoicedlittleTewksbury。
“Nowgitmytrunkstamped’rfixed，’rwhatevertheycallit，“shesaidtoRipleyinacommandingtone，whichgavegreatdelighttotheinevitablecrowdofloafersbeglimingtoassemble。“Nowremember，Tukey，haveGranddadkillthatbiggestturkeynightbeforeThanksgiving，an’thenyourunrightovertoMis’
Doudney’s-she’sgotanawfultongue，butshecanbakeaturkeyfirst-rate-an’she’llfixupsomesquashpiesforyeh。Youcanwarmupones’themmincepies。Iwishyecouldbewithme，butyecan’t，sodothebestyecan。“
Ripleyreturningnow，shesaid：“Waal，now，I’vefixedthingsupthebestIcould。I’vebakedbreadenoughtolastaweek，an’Mis’