human
Yes, I _do_,
gpt
Flum-_mer_,
human
Well, whose business is that, if it is?
gpt
Mine, said Ike.
human
Wasn't old Zeb Flummer your grandfather?
gpt
Old Zeb? yes.
human
Didn't old Zeb Flummer marry old Sally Beadle?
gpt
That's what they say.
human
And wasn't old Sally Beadle, Charity Beadle's grandmother?
gpt
S'pose so,
human
Well, sir, you can just step out, said Turtle;
gpt
three more for
human
leaving six; and by this time the first day was about exhausted. Talesmen were picked up from the by-standers to supply the places of the
gpt
He _did_ s'pose, that if there ever _was_ a woman that had grief, and _stood_ it, too, 'twas his client, and she was nothin' but a woman, nuther. She lik'd to gone off with the measles when she was a child, and had been puny-like ever since; her father was kill'd by an oak-tree 'fore she could do anythin' for herself, down on the Catta-_ra_-gus, leaving a pile of young-uns, he didn't know how many. Her father warn't rich, but that warn't neither here nor thar; he was honest, and paid up his debts afore he died, to the last cent; he was a man that struggled a good deal for a livin', but he got it; allers kept a stiff upper lip, as tho' the skies were bright, and the sailin' good. Arter he died, they were a most distress_ed_ family. His client, 'bout the year--'bout the year--[Ike stopped and scratched his head]--'bout the year--[he had forgotten when, and turning, exclaimed to Aunt Sonora], When in _thun_der was it that Miss Filkins came inter the settlement?
human
answered Aunt Sonora,--
gpt
Brumijim's youngest boy died--died--when _did_ he die?--but no matter--but when we bought our brindle cow--we got her of old lame Gosander, and I recollect jist as well as if it was yesterday, that when my boy Jim was drivin' off that 'ere cow from Gosander's--one warm spring mornin'--that he tell'd me, arter he got home, that he met some _strang_-ers on the road--and I axed him who they were? And Jim said--
human
When--in thunder--_was_ it?
gpt
I was jist a-goin' to tell you! You needn't get so fluster'd 'bout it, answered Aunt Sonora--
human
At any rate, his client came inter Puddleford, and had been one of the fust 'mong 'em ever sin'. He warn't goin' to repeat what he said afore the court below, _now_, he would wait 'til he summ'd up. He warn't goin' to say nothin' 'bout the unspotted character of his client; he warn't goin' to say nothin' 'bout the defendant nuther. He warn't a-goin' to say how she would lie, nor how she went around a-backbitin' everybody she could get a dab at; there were twenty persons within the sound of his voice that know'd that--that know'd the woman like a book.
gpt
Yes, sir-_ee_!
human
Silence!
gpt
You hear _that_, don't you, gentle_men_? They know her like a book.
human
No! he warn't goin' to say anythin' 'bout the defendant now. He _might_ say enough 'bout her to blow her sky-high; perhaps she wouldn't _steal_, he didn't think she would, but folks who _do_ lie, will steal; but she hadn't stole nothin' _yet_, as he know'd on; he warn't goin' to _say_ so 'tany rate; and thus Ike rambled on for more than an hour before the jury, in the opening of his cause, touching upon almost everything connected with the rise of Puddleford, and closed by saying,
gpt
That they only claimed ten dollars damages; but 'twern't the money they were arter; 'twas the great principle; his client scorned money as pay for _her_ character; she'd never touch a cent on't so long as her name was Filkins--and he might as well say that he, as her counsel, had 'vised her to give every jot on't to some relig_us_ institution, or to orphin children, and she'd _do_ it too--catch her takin' that money!