r things, I promised if he ever recovered we would have his
favorite pie and coffee every meal for two weeks. This pleased him
greatly, for his appetite for apple pie and Java coffee was seldom if
ever satisfied.

He recovered in a few days, and said he was glad the landlady didn't
return in the midst of that fracas.

A few days later he came rushing into the hotel from up town, and said:

"I just met an old friend and former patron, who used to live in the
southern part of the State. He now lives five miles from here, and they
are going to have a dance at his house next Friday night. He wants me to
come out, and bring you with me, as I told him all about you, and whose
daughter you married. He has always known John Higgins, your
father-in-law. I told him we would be there, so you must make
calculations to go."

"All right, Doctor; we'll drive our horse out."

"That's what we'll do, that's what we'll do," he laughingly remarked.

If there was any one thing the Doctor prided himself in more than
another, it was his gracefulness in "tripping the light fantastic toe."

He talked of nothing else from that time till Friday, and made more
preparations for the occasion than the average person would for his own
wedding.

When the hostler drove our rig to the front door, the Doctor with his
highly polished boots, his heavy-checked skin-tight pants (then the
height of fashion), his swallow-tailed coat--renovated and mended for
the occasion, his low-cut vest, and his immaculate shirt-front with a
large flaming red neck-tie, his face cleanly shaven, his ivory-white
moustache waxed and twisted, his gold-headed cane and gold spectacles,
and lastly, his newly ironed hat--standing there, as described, he
certainly made a very striking appearance.

On our way out he became very impatient to make faster time, and
declared that we got cheated when we traded the jewelry for such an
infernal horse, and wanted to sell his half to me. I told him I would
buy him out if he would take his pay in board. He became excited at
once, and said he would be an idiot to do that, as it was just the same
as understood that I was to board him, if I got the hotel to run.

"But suppose I should remain here for five years," said I, "what then?"

"What then?" he quickly ejaculated, "why then I suppose you'd find me
here to the end of that time. I started out with you, and I intend to
stay with you."

We were royally received at the farmer's reside