I met the girls quite often after that. They were as anxious as I to meet Mr. Brown again. We were out by the barn one day when we saw the boys, Abner and Van, coming. They urged us to go in the barn with them but we refused, though we stood and talked with them for some time. Van put his arm around me and felt of my bosom, while Abner felt Julia's. They pleaded with us to go in the barn with them, but Julia and I objected though Lizzie was willing. The boys went away, evidently disappointed.

Mr. Brown called one day, and as usual, Mr. Hall was away. I met him out by the gate. He enquired after Julia and said he wanted to see her again. “Oh,” said I, “you want to screw her again. Well, she ain't here so you will have to screw the old woman.”

“Would you like me to screw the old woman?” he asked.

“Oh yes, do it,” said I.

“If I do,” said he, “you must not tell the girls.” I said I would not and he went on into the house; I followed soon after and was at once sent out as I expected. Before going out I pointed to the old lady and made some very suggestive motions which of course I didn't let her see, but Mr. Brown did and he laughed as I closed the door behind me. I lost no time in getting to my place of observation. The house was originally but a two-roomed board house, to which a kitchen had been added at one time, a bedroom at another, then another bedroom, but it was an “old ram shackled” concern at the best. My hiding place was a narrow space between the bedroom and kitchen. From there I could hear what was said in any room in the house and could see into the old lady's bedroom.

About the first question she asked was: “Well, what is the latest scandal? Whose wife has been playing with her tail?” He told her of some women that stories had been told about, then she told some things she had heard about some girl, that some fellow was suspected of having raised her petticoats. After some desultory talk I heard her say, “What is the matter with you today? One would think you hadn't seen a woman for a month.”