Oh, the cleverness of me!
Isiah knew that he probably should have checked with Addy first about having visitors over for dinner, but now it was done and he couldn't go back on his word.
When Isiah felt Josh beside him he placed his hand on his shoulder and brought him around front of him from hiding behind his leg. He lifted the boy up then holding him. "This here is my boy, Joshua." He smiled proudly. "He lost his Ma and me my wife a bit ago. That's what brings us ta town. I had ta move on, so comin' here to see Addy seemed most appropriate."
Josh wrapped his arm around his Pa's shoulder when he lifted him up and he smiled a bit at the man and waved again. All that stuff sounded right nice and he thought he'd like to come and see it some time. "What's fauna?" The boy asked way after the fact of Mr. Brown saying something about it. And what's pertetic?" He asked, meaning when he referred to Jemima as peripatetic.
When Addy came in Isiah pulled a chair out for his sister to take a seat. "And you get the biggest slice and I told the boys they'd go into the Lickskillet later ta get you some pie!"
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"Fauna's animals," Weedy declared, looking up at the Professor, "isn't that right? But I don't know what that other thing is." He knew a lot, but not nearly so much as Professor Browne!
"C'mon, now, let's dig inta this grub!" Addy glanced at her 'company', gesturing to chairs...well, and a crate or two, her kitchen wasn't set up for so many people! "I ain't had nothin' good fer near two days, an' this smells wonderful! An' we gotta eat supper so we can have that pie, right?"
She glanced at Jemima and smiled. "It's right kind'a ya ta bake these fine vittles, Miss Jemima, an' Mr. Browne Bear," she grinned, "was right neighborly'a ya ta loan her t' us!"
Posted August 24, 2022
"Fauna's animals," Weedy declared, looking up at the Professor, "isn't that right? But I don't know what that other thing is." He knew a lot, but not nearly so much as Professor Browne!
"You are quite correct, Master James. As for peripatetic, I merely indicate that Miss Wigfall is not a permanent inmate of my humble abode." Browne explained opaquely.
"I just clean there, part time." Jemima made things more transparent.
"C'mon, now, let's dig inta this grub!" Addy glanced at her 'company', gesturing to chairs...well, and a crate or two, her kitchen wasn't set up for so many people! "I ain't had nothin' good fer near two days, an' this smells wonderful! An' we gotta eat supper so we can have that pie, right?"
The company was seated and with no Arabella present this time, they all somehow forgot to say grace and tucked straight in.
She glanced at Jemima and smiled. "It's right kind'a ya ta bake these fine vittles, Miss Jemima, an' Mr. Browne Bear," she grinned, "was right neighborly'a ya ta loan her t' us!"
Jemima was shy about having all the attention on her (just Isiah's attention would have been quite ample and quite nice too, thank you) and looked a bit embarrassed.
Luckily, Farmer Browne moved the conversation on as some present had given a confused look at Addy's nickname for him.
"He he, 'Browne Bear' well, there is rather an amusing story behind Miss Chapel's unusual appellation for me." he chuckled and heads turned his way.
"You see, er, I once went to an event, and I was dressed as... a brown Bear!" He waited for the amused laughter and tittering but heard only silence and the clank of the boys cutlery on china. "Well, er, I suppose one had to be there to er..."
"I'd stick to flora and fauna and leave the jokes to Bret Harte and Mark Twain, if I were you Professor." said Jemima, raising her thick eyebrows mischievously at Weedy and Josh.