’Youlaughatme，’saidhe，takingtheeldestdaughter’shand，andlaughinghimself。’YouthinkmyambitionasnonsensicalasifIweretofreezemyselftodeathonthetopofMountWashington，onlythatpeoplemightspyatmefromthecountryroundabout。And，truly，thatwouldbeanoblepedestalforaman’sstatue！’
’Itisbettertositherebythisfire，’answeredthegirl，blushing，’andbecomfortableandcontented，thoughnobodythinksaboutus。’
’Isuppose，’Saidherfather，afterafitofmusing，’thereissomethingnaturalinwhattheyoungmansays；andifmymindhadbeenturnedthatway，Imighthavefeltjustthesame。Itisstrange，wife，howhistalkhassetmyheadrunningonthingsthatareprettycertainnevertocometopass。’
’Perhapstheymay，’observedthewife。’Isthemanthinkingwhathewilldowhenheisawidower？’
’No，no！’criedhe，repellingtheideawithreproachfulkindness。’WhenIthinkofyourdeath，Esther，Ithinkofmine，too。ButIwaswishingwehadagoodfarminBartlett，orBethlehem，orLittleton，orsomeothertownshiproundtheWhiteMountains；butnotwheretheycouldtumbleonourheads。IshouldwanttostandwellwithmyneighborsandbecalledSquire，andsenttoGeneralCourtforatermortwo；foraplain，honestmanmaydoasmuchgoodthereasalawyer。AndwhenIshouldbegrownquiteanoldman，andyouanoldwoman，soasnottobelongapart，Imightdiehappyenoughinmybed，andleaveyouallcryingaroundme。Aslategravestonewouldsuitmeaswellasamarbleone——withjustmynameandage，andaverseofahymn，andsomethingtoletpeopleknowthatIlivedanhonestmananddiedaChristian。’