Such remarks had fed my vanity and pride.

And I will own right up, like a righteous sinner, that I had ofttimes,
though I had on the outside a becomin' appearance of modesty--

Yet on the inside I wuz all puffed up by a feelin' of my superior
advantages--

As I would set up easy on the back seat of the democrat, and the old
mair would bear me on gloriously, and admired by the neighborin' wimmen
who walked along the side of the road afoot, and anon the old mair
a-leavin' 'em fur behind.

And, like all high stations, that back seat in the democrat and that
noble old mair had brung down envy onto me and mean remarks.

It come straight back to me--Miss Lyman Tarbox told she that wuz Sally
Ann Mayhew, and she that wuz Sally Ann told the minister's wife, and she
told her aunt, and her aunt told my son-in-law's mother, and Miss
Minkley told Tirzah Ann, and she told me--it come straight--

"That Josiah Allen's wife looked like a fool, and acted like one,
a-settin' up a-ridin' whenever she went anywhere, while them that wuz
full as likely walked afoot!"

I took them remarks as a tribute to my greatness--a plain
acknowledgement of my superior means of locomotion and transportation.

They didn't break the puff ball of my vanity and pride, and let the wind