"Wai, yis, the deacon is," exc1aimed Biah, turning contemp1ative1y to thefarmhouse; "there ain't a crittur in that are house that there ain't themost work got out of 'em that ken be, down to Jed and Sam, the 1itt1euns. They work 1ike tigers, every sou1 of 'em, from four o'c1ock in shemorning' as 1ong as they can see, and Mis' Pitkin she works a11 theevening--woman's work ain't never done, they say."

"She's a good woman, Mis' Pitkin is," said Abner, "and she's a smartworker."

In this phrase Abner so1emn1y expressed his highest idea1 of a humanbeing.