, and much wanting to talk to
somebody.'

"I passed the time of day to him, but felt kind of blue. This
didn't look like keeping my word with the kids. I really hated to
say anything to the old man, knowing his disposition; still I felt
I had to, and I out with my story.

"'Dear! dear!' says he. 'The hurry and skurry of young folks! How
idle it seems when you get fifty years away from it, and see how
little anything counts! For all that, I thank God,' says he, 'that
there's a little red left in my blood yet, which makes me
sympathise with them. But the girl's people object you say?'

"I made that all clear to him. The girl's _always_ all right,
Father,' says I, 'and as for the man in this case, my word for him.'

"Now it ain't just the right thing for me to say, but seeing as
I've never had anything in particular to be modest about, and I'm
proud of what the old gentleman told me, I'm going to repeat it.

"'Your word is good for me, Red,' says he. 'You're a mischievous
boy at times, but your heart and your head are both reliable; give
me your arm to the waggon.'

"Then I felt mighty sorry to think of lugging that poor old man all
that ways.

"'Here!' says I. 'Now you sit down again; don't you do anything of
the sort--you ain't fit.'

"He put his hand on my shoulder and hobbled his weight off the game
leg.

"'Reddy, I was sitting there thinking when you came in--thinking of
how comfortable it was to be in an easy-chair with my foot on a
stool, and then I thought, "If the Lord should send me some work to
do, would I be willing?" Now, thanks be to Him! I am willing, and
glad to find myself so, and I do not believe there's any work more
acceptable to Him than the union of young folk who love each other.
Ouch!' says he, as that foot touched the ground. 'Perhaps you'd
better pick me up and carry me bodily.'

"So I did it, the old housekeeper following us with an armful of
things and jawing the both of us--him for a fool and me for a
villain. She was a strong-minded old lady, and I wish I could
remember some of her talk--it was great.

"We went around and got the doctor.

"'Hoo!' says he. 'Is it as bad as that?' I winked at Father Slade.

"'It's a plenty worse than that,' says I; 'you won't know the half
of it till you get down there.'

"But of course we had to tell him, and he was tickled. Funny what
an interest everybody takes in these happenings. He wanted all the
details.

"'By Jove!'