There's Lisha Downs now. He started off just before we did. That's his
fish-cart over by the well." "What is going to be sold?" said I. "All
the stuff," said Georgie, as if he were much pleased. "She's going off
up to Boston with her son." "I think we had better stop," said I, for I
saw Mrs. 'Lisha Downs, who was one of my acquaintances at the shore, and
I wished to see what was going on, besides giving Georgie a chance at
the festivities. So we tied the horse, and went toward the house, and I
found several people whom I knew a little. Mrs. Downs shook hands with
me as formally as if we had not talked for some time as I went by her
house to the shore, just after my breakfast. She presented me to several
of her friends with whom she had been talking as I came up. "Let me make
you acquainted," she said: and every time I bowed she bowed too,
unconsciously, and seemed a little ill at ease and embarrassed, but
luckily the ceremony was soon over. "I thought I would stop for a few
minutes," said I by way of apology. "I didn't know why the people were
here until Georgie told me." "She's going to move up to Boston 'long of
her son," said one of the women, who looked very pleasant and very
tired. "I think myself it is a bad plan to pull old folks up by the
roots. There's a niece of hers that would have been glad to stop with
her, and do for the old lady. But John, he's very high-handed, and wants
it his way, and he says his mother sha'n't live in any such place as
this. He makes a sight o' money. He's got out a patent, and they say
he's just bought a new house that cost him eleven thousand dollars. But
old Mis' Wallis, she's wonted here; and she was telling of me yesterday
she was only going to please John. He says he wants her up there, where
she'll be more comfortable, and see something." "He means well," said
another woman whom I did not know; "but folks about
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