"Mother could no more live without scoldin' than dad could live
without his tobaccer," was Moses' frequent comment when beyond the
old lady's hearing.
The happy first-born was dear to Mrs. Spriggins as "the apple of her
eye," but he always came in for a decent share of the scolding.
"Now, what that critter is a galavantin' to town and gettin' so many
letters is mor'n I can tell. Seems to me he must be neglectin'
sumthin', for I tell ye things won't git along without puttin' your
shoulder to the wheel." (Mrs. Spriggins had evidently heard of the
fable of Sisyphus, and gave it an original translation.)
"That's all right Jerushy, but I don't think there is any danger of
our Moses. He's as stiddy as a rock."
"Don't let him hear you say so, Simon, for its the worst thing in
the world to be a-praisin' your own children, and a-tellin' them
they're so smart, and good lookin', it makes them so ever-lastin'
conseity."
Mr. Spriggins, Sr., was going to remark that there was no danger of
_her_ children getting spoilt, but he knew what was best for
himself, and kept a quiet tongue in his head.
The next evening after Moses had been to the post office, he became
aware of the startling fact that his mother had been peeking into
his trousers pocket while she rearranged his neat little room, and
made it look more spicy by the addition of a set of snow-white
curtains.
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