`Why, Tom,' I used to say, `when your
gals takes on and cry, what's the use o' crackin on' em over the head, and knockin' on 'em round?
"De lady says dat she's on to de fact dat
gals is dead easy when a feller comes spielin' ghost stories and tryin' to make up, and dat's why she won't listen to no soft-soap.
There's one or two families yer with grown-up
gals ez oughter be squared; that is--the boys mighter put in a few fancy touches among them--kinder take 'em buggy riding--or to church--once in a while--just to take the pizen outer their tongues, and make a kind o' bluff to the parents, d'ye see?
She's no small weight, brother; none of these here fine
gals are.
'Cut my limbs off one by one!' cried Sikes, seizing her roughly by the arm, 'If I don't think the
gal's stark raving mad.
"`Taint no
gal's picture," offered the man at the fire.
"It ain't--but it must be--Miss Jennie's little
gal! There wasn't none of the rest of 'em married.
'You're making up to that young
gal of Jane's,' he proceeded.
"It's all the same, I reckon; some says
gal, some says girl -- both's right, like enough.
Crupp said it was clear she couldn't be in two places at once (which I felt to be reasonable), and that 'a young
gal' stationed in the pantry with a bedroom candle, there never to desist from washing plates, would be indispensable.
We keep a boy to do the dirty work, and a
gal besides, but they dine in the wash'us.'
hist!” said a low voice, “stoop lower,
gal; your bonnet hides the creatur’s head.”