warmed every heart. He was condemning the want of faith which
characterized some professors: "Bless yo'," he said, "sooiner than aar
God would see His faithful children want, He would mak' apple-dumplins
grow on ash-trees." And then he exclaimed, "Don't yo' believe these
words? Ah, 'tis nowt unless yo' believe; you might be eating th'
dumplins and smackin' your lips on th' apples, but if you doan't
believe, yo'll say it's a dream. Wake up, and believe naa, and you'll
foind your maath is full of good things."

"DISH-CLOTH."

I have said that some of Abe's similes were not very elegant, and when
the following is related, my readers will agree with me; but they were
well understood by the people among whom they were uttered. Speaking
one day of the pardoning mercy of God, and showing that He does not
grudgingly forgive the penitent sinner, Abe said, "Yo' womenfolk know
haa to wesh a pie-dish, I reckon? Yo'll tak' th' dish and put it into
th' hot waiter, and then tak' dish-cloth and rub it raand and raand,
insoide and aatsoide, till it's clean, and then yo'll wipe it wi' a
clean towel, and mak' it look just loike a bron new dish; and that's
haa th' Lord does wi' a poor sinner: He gies him a plunge into th'
Gospel fountain, weshes all his sins away, and brings him aat a bron
new man." An old woman sitting there caught the figure in a moment,
and responded energetically, "Maa th' Lord tak' th' dishcloth and wipe
some aat here t'-noight!" "Amen," exclaimed "the Bishop."

"TASTE AND TRY."

Abe's remarks on Psalm xxxiv. 8, "O taste and see that the Lord is
good," etc., were very characteristic. "David was nooan a bad man to
deal with; he didn't try to deceive onybody and mak' them believe a
lie, like th' devil does; he says, yo' may 'taste and see.' Naa, that
ought to satisfy yo' particular talk; yo' loike to taste th' butter and
cheese afore you buy, and if it's gooid, you say, 'I'll tak' a pund o'
that;' naa, then, come and try if th' Lord is gooid. Aye, bless yo',
He is gooid! He's as fresh as th' morning dew, and sweet as new
cream," and then with a quaint look he would add, "and there's a deal
more on Him than you often foind on your milk."

He used to say that religion could be tested in two ways;--you can
taste it yoursen, and you can see it in others. See what it has done
for your neighbours--how it has changed th' lion into a lamb, th'
raving sot into a sober and happy man; weshed th' tongue and p