think," sez she, "that it would look better now both from the under and
upper side--both on earth and in Heaven--to close them murderous and
damnable saloons, that are drawin' men to visible and open ruin all
round us on every side, than to take such great pains to impress onseen
things onto strangers."

She would have the last word--she wuz bound to.

And the schoolmaster, bein' real polite, though he had a look as if he
wuzn't convinced, yet he bowed kinder genteel to Arvilly, as much as to
say, "I will not dispute any further with you." And then he got up and
went over and sot down by Lophemia Pegrum.

And I see there wuz no prospect of their different minds a-comin' any
nearer together.

And I'll be hanged if I could wonder at it. Why, I myself see things so
plain on both sides that I would convince myself time and agin both
ways.

I would be jest as firm as a rock for hours at a time that it would be
the only right thing to do, to shet up the Fair Sundays--shet it up jest
as tight as it could be shet.

And then agin, I would argue in my own mind, back and forth, and
convince myself (ontirely onbeknown to me) that it would be the means of
doin' more good to the young folks and the poor to have it open.

Why, I had a fearful time, time and agin, a-arguin' and a-disputin'
with myself, and a-carryin' metafors back and forth, and a-eppisodin',