The Grinder Papers — page 116: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE GRINDER PAPERS. LIE You see; she’s one o’ Betsy Jane Griffin’s darters, and she was married a spell ago tu Hopkins Barker. Allers promised I’d goand see ‘em, but didn’t till last week. Then I packed up and started, and got there about dusk. She was overjoyed tu see me, but arter tea him and her had tu go out on account o a neighbors child dyin’, and they bein’ expected tu come. Well, of course I was all alone in the house, for the gal was gone out, tu, an I hadn't nothin’ much tu amuse myself with, so I thought I’d see what she had. I ain’t one o’ them people that’s allers pryin’ intu other folks’ affairs. Them I abominate; but I like naturally to know what folks hev. Fust off I looked intu her wardrobe closet and bureau draw- ers. She hain't had but one silk frock since she was married, that’s sartin. But her underclothes is the heft of °em worked. She’s gota green merino, tu, thats purty good, and a yaller brown delain jest made up. He was amazin’ well off fer collars and cravats, and they’ve got no end o gloves. I had every livin’ thing out and looked atit, and still ‘twern’t seven oclock. I didn’t know what tu du with myself, and so when IJ had got through up there I went down tu see ef Hopkins Barker was a _ good provider, GEomichboo “S co