oin' credit to my 'sperience--too much, Miss Sheba."

He was frying hoe-cake and talking to Miss Burford when Sheba came into
the kitchen. He was a great comfort and aid to Miss Burford, and in a
genteel way the old lady found him a resource in the matters of
companionship and conversation. Her life was too pinched and narrow to
allow her even the simpler pleasure of social intercourse, and Matt's
journeys into the world, and his small adventures, and his comments upon
politics and social events were a solace and a source of entertainment to
her.

Just now he was describing to her the stories he had heard of a
celebrated lecturer who had just arrived in the city.

"Whether he's a 'vivalist or jes' a plain preacher what folks is runnin'
after, I cayn't quite make out, ma'am," he was saying. "I ain't quite
thinkin' he's a 'vivalist, but de peoples is a-runnin' after him
shore--an' seems like dey doin' it in ev'y city he goes to. Ev'ybody want
to heah him--ev'ybody--rich en pore--young en ole. De Rev'end John
Baird's his name, an' he's got a fren' travellin' with him as they say is
like Jonathan was to David in dese yere ole Bible times. An' I heern tell
ev when he rise in de pulpit de people's jest gets so worked up at what
he preach to 'em--dey jest cries an' rocks de benches. Dat's what make me
think he might be a 'vivalist--cos we all knows dat cryin' an' rockin'
an' clappin' hands is what makes a 'vival." He was full of anecdotes
concerning the new arrival whose reputation had plainly preceded him.

"He gwine ter preach nex' Sat'day on ''Pentance,'" he said to Sheba, with
a chuckle. "Dat's his big lecture ev'ybody want to hear. De hall shore to
be pack full. What I'm a-hopin' is dat it'll be pack full er Senators an'
members er Congrest, an' he'll set some of 'em a-'pentin', dey ain't
'tend to dere business an' git people's claims through. Ef I know'd de
gen'leman, I'd ax him to menshun dat special an' pertickler."

As they sat at supper, Sheba repeated his stories and comments. All the
comments were worthy of repetition, and most of the anecdotes were
suggestively interesting, illustrating, as they did, the power of a
single man over many.

"I should like to go and hear him myself," she said. "Uncle Tom, have you
anything to repent? Rupert, have you? Uncle Tom, you have not forgotten
the Senator. You look at me as if you were thinking of something that was
not happy."

"The Senator was not particularly happy,"