e's
been a lawyer and a schoolmaster in his day and time.".

"Still," said Brother Brannum, as if acknowledging the arguments, "I
think Sister Kendrick is jestified in her desires."

"Oh, yes,--oh, yes!" replied Brother Roach, heartily; "none more so.
Felix Kendrick's ways is in good shape for some preacher wi' a glib
tongue. Felix was a good man; he wanted his just dues, but not if to
take them would hurt a man. He was neighbourly; who more so? And, sir,
when you got to rastlin' wi' trouble, he'd find you and fetch you out.
I only hope the Chinee preacher'll be jedgmatical enough for to let us
off wi' the simple truth."

"They say," said Brother Brannum, "that he's a man full of grace and
fire."

"Well, sir," said Johnny Roach, "if he but makes me disremember that I
left the bay mar' at home, I'll thank him kindly."

"Mercy, Brother Roach," exclaimed Brother Brannum, taking this as a
neighbourly hint, "mount up here and rest yourself, whilst I stretch my
legs along this level piece of ground."

"I'd thank you kindly, Brother Branuum, if you wouldn't so misjudge me!
It's my will to walk; but if I git my limbs sot to the saddle here and
now, they'd ache and crack might'ly when next I called upon 'em. I'll
take the will for the deed, Brother Brannum."

Thus these neighbours jogged along to Felix Kendrick's funeral. They
found a great crowd ahead of them when they got there, though they were
not too late for the services; but the house was filled with
sympathetic men and women, and those who came late were compelled to
find such accommodations as the yard afforded; and these accommodations
were excellent in their way, for there was the cool green grass under
the trees, and there were the rustic seats in the shadow of the
fig-tree of which mention has been made.

Coming together, Brother Brannum and Brother Roach stayed together; and
they soon found themselves comfortably seated under the fig-tree,--a
point of view from which they could observe everything that was going
on. Brother Brannum, who was a pillar of Bethesda church, and extremely
officious withal, seemed to regret that he had not arrived soon enough
to find a place in the house near the preacher, but Brother Roach
appeared to congratulate himself that he had been crowded out of
ear-shot.

"We can set here," he declared in great good-humour, "and hear the
singing, and then whirl in and preach each man his own sermon. I know
better than the furrin preac