CHAPTER XXXIX. THE NEW MOTHER.

Thecholeraatlengthdisappeared,andtheestablishmentofouroldfriendTiffproceededasofyore.Hischickensandturkeysgrewtomaturity,andcackledandstruttedjoyously.HiscornwaveditsripeningflagsintheSeptemberbreezes.Thegraveofthebabyhadgrowngreenwithitsfirstcoatofgrass,andTiffwascomfortedforhisloss,because,ashesaid,"heknowedhe'sbetteroff."MissFannygrewhealthyandstrong,andspentmanylongsunnyhourswanderinginthewoodswithTeddyor,sittingoutonthebenchwhereNinahadbeenwonttoreadtothem,wouldspelloutwithdifficulty,forheroldfriend'scomfortandenlightenment,thehalf-familiarwordsofthewondrousstorythatNinahadbroughttotheirknowledge. Theinteriorofthepoorcottageboreitswontedairofquaint,sylvanrefinementandTiffwentonwithhisolddreamofimaginingitanancestralresidence,ofwhichhisyoungmasterandmistresswerethehead,andhimselftheirwholeretinue.Hewassittinginhistentdoor,inthecooloftheday,whileTeddyandFannyhadgoneforwildgrapes,cheerfullyexaminingandmendinghisoldpantaloons,meanwhilerecreatinghissoulwithacheerfulconversationwithhimself. "Now,OldTiff,"saidhe,"onemorepatchondeseyer,'causeitan'tmuchmatterwhatyouwars.Mas'risallersapromisingtobringsomeclothfurtomakeamore'specablepairbut,laws,heneverdoesnothinghesayshewill.An'tnotrustingindat'scriptiono'people—jiggetingupanddowndecountry,drinkingatalldetaverns,fetchingdisgraceondefam'ly,spiteo'allIcando!Mightylongtimesincehebeenhome,anyhow!Shouldn'twonderifdecholera'dcotchedhim!Well,deLord'swillbedone!Pitytokillsuchcritturs!Wouldn'tmuchmindifheshoulddie.Laws,hean'tmuchprofittodefamily,cominghomeherewidlotso'oldtrash,drinkingupallmychicken-moneydownto'BijahSkinflint's!Formypart,Ibelievedemdevils,whendeywentouto'deswine,wentintodewhiskey-bar'l.Disyerliquormakesfolkssougly!Teddyshan'tnevertouchnoneaslongasdere'sadropo'Peytonbloodinmyveins!Lord,butdisyerworldisfullo''spensations!Por,dearMissNina,datwasadoinfordechil'en!she'sgoneupamongdeangels!Well,bressdeLord,wemustdodebestwecan,andwe'llalllandondeCanaanshoreatlast."