Riley,
who hadn't the spirit to answer back after his drubbing
by William Adolphus. I made allowances for Alexander Abraham
because his vaccination had taken and his arm was real sore;
and I cooked elegant meals, not having much else to do, once I
had got things scoured up. The house was full of provisions--
Alexander Abraham wasn't mean about such things, I will say
that for him. Altogether, I was more comfortable than I
had expected to be. When Alexander Abraham wouldn't talk I
let him alone; and when he would I just said as sarcastic
things as he did, only I said them smiling and pleasant.
I could see he had a wholesome awe for me. But now and then
he seemed to forget his disposition and talked like a human being.
We had one or two real interesting conversations. Alexander Abraham
was an intelligent man, though he had got terribly warped.
I told him once I thought he must have been nice when he was a boy.
One day he astonished me by appearing at the dinner table with his
hair brushed and a white collar on. We had a tiptop dinner that day,
and I had made a pudding that was far too good for a woman hater.
When Alexander Abraham had disposed of two large platefuls of it,
he sighed and said,
"You can certainly cook.
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