Josephine was knitting at a long gray sock with doubly aggressive energy , and that was a sign that she was talked out . As long as Josephine had plenty to say , her plump white fingers , where her mother 's wedding ring was lost in dimples , moved slowly among her needles . When conversation flagged she fell to her work as furiously as if a husband and half a dozen sons were waiting for its completion . David often wondered in his secret soul what Josephine did with all the interminable gray socks she knitted . Sometimes he concluded that she put them in the home missionary barrels ; again , that she sold them to her hired man . At any rate , they were very warm and comfortable looking , and David sighed as he thought of the deplorable state his own socks were generally in . When David sighed Josephine took alarm . She was afraid David was going to have one of his attacks of foolishness . She must head him off someway , so she rolled up the gray sock , stabbed the big pudgy ball with her needles , and said she guessed she 'd get the tea . David got up . `` Now , you 're not going before tea ? '' said Josephine hospitably . `` I 'll have it all ready in no time . '' `` I ought to go home , I s ` pose , '' said David , with the air and tone of a man dallying with a great temptation . `` Zillah 'll be waiting tea for me ; and there 's the stock to tend to . '' `` I guess Zillah wo n't wait long , '' said Josephine . She did not intend it at all , but there was a certain scornful ring in her voice . `` You must stay . I 've a fancy for company to tea . '' David sat down again .
He looked so pleased that Josephine went down on her knees behind the stove , ostensibly to XXXXX a stick of firewood , but really to hide her smile .
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