The Grinder Papers — page 127: what you’re looking at

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

122 LHE GRINDER PAPERS. they was afeard they’d bite. Elder Ninepin used to introduce folks, but they wouldn't stay introduced. They’d put on their best things and go tu the church sociable, and things, and sit with their noses in the air until the minister would say, ‘Now we'll close this here delightful evenin’ with a hymn,” and then he'd give one out, and nobody wouldn't sing only him, and then they'd hand the plate round and go. This here donation party was purty much like the rest, and when the hymn was sung, I went tu Jonathan, and sez I: ‘‘Du come along, I’m sleepy.” : Sez he, ‘‘I’ve gota word or two tu say tu Brother Ninepin ; you go along down and get intu the waggin, and I'll come—it stands right o’ the door, tied tu the fence.” ‘ Well, seein’ I was sleepy, I thought I would. So I bid the folks good-by, and went down and got intu the waggin, wrap- ped up so you couldn't see my nose, and before Jonathan got down I was a’most asleep. He warn’t much o’ a talker, so I warn t surprised when he didn’t make no remark, and we driv along a spell without speakin’. That made me sleepier, so I put my head agin the waggin cover and snored away in good earnest in less than five minutes. When I woke ’twas a snowin’, and it seemed to me we'd been a good while on the road. I nudged Jonathan, and sez I ‘¢Ain’t we most there ?” And sez he,’ from under his comforter : “Not half.” I never heerd his voice so gruff before. SezI: