---------------------------------------------------------- for there is a variety of new distortions of the adjective to be learnedwhen the object is feminine, and still another when the object is neuter.Now there are more adjectives in this language than there are black cats in Nathaniels face flushed in a relief which died quickly down to a sombre hopelessness. He faced his uncle doggedly. "Not much, Uncle Jehiel!" he said heavily. "I aint agoin to hear to such a thing. I know all about your wantin to get away from the valley -- you take that money and go yourself and Ill -- " "Seems kind o providential, havin so much money come to you just now, when your sister-in-laws jest died, and left you the first time in your life without anybody you got to stay and see to, dont it?" commented the neighbor persistently. "Why, whats Nathaniel doin here?" he asked himself in surprise. He had not known that the boy was even in town, for he had been on the point of leaving to enlist in the navy. Family matters could not have detained him, for he was quite alone in the world, since both his father and his mother were dead and his stepmother had married again. Under his great-uncles gaze the lad opened his eyes with a start and sat up confused. "Whats the matter with you, Nat?" asked the older man not ungently. He was thinking that probably he had looked like that at sixteen. The boy stared at him a moment, and then, leaning his head on a chair, he began to cry. Sitting thus, crouched together, he looked like a child. legitimate words, but are rather combinations of words, and the inventor of "Why, whats Nathaniel doin here?" he asked himself in surprise. He had not known that the boy was even in town, for he had been on the point of leaving to enlist in the navy. Family matters could not have detained him, for he was quite alone in the world, since both his father and his mother were dead and his stepmother had married again. Under his great-uncles gaze the lad opened his eyes with a start and sat up confused. "Whats the matter with you, Nat?" asked the older man not ungently. He was thinking that probably he had looked like that at sixteen. The boy stared at him a moment, and then, leaning his head on a chair, he began to cry. Sitting thus, crouched together, he looked like a child. The last comers disappeared in the church and the sound of singing came faintly to Jehiels ears. Although he was the sexton he rarely was in church for the service, using his duties as an excuse for absence. He felt that it was not for him to take part in prayer and thanksgiving. As a boy he had prayed for the one thing he wanted, and what had it come to?
