et the other day. But that's a thing a person could pick up
almost any day, a saddle-blanket is. A' ice-pitcher now--

"Say, Mr. Lawson, lemme look at that tiltin'-pitcher again, please,
sir. I jest want to see ef the spout is gold-lined. Yes, so it is--an'
little holes down in the throat of it, too. It cert'n'y is well made,
it cert'n'y is. I s'pose them holes is to strain out grasshoppers or
anything thet might fall into it. That musician thet choked to death at
the barbecue down at Pump Springs last summer might 'a' been livin' yet
ef they'd had sech ez this to pass water in, instid o' that open pail.
_He's_ got a mighty keerless way o' drinkin' out o' open dippers, too.
No tellin' what he'll scoop up some day. They'd be great safety for him
in a pitcher like this--ef I could only make him see it. It would seem
a sort o' awkward thing to pack out to the well every single time, an'
he won't drink no water but what he draws fresh. An' I s'pose it would
look sort o' silly to put it in here jest to drink it out again.

"Sir? Oh yes, I saw them saddle-bags hang-in' up back there, an' they
are fine, mighty fine, ez you say, an' his are purty near wo'e out, but
lordy, I don't want to buy a Christmus gif' thet's hung up in the
harness-room half the time. What's that you say? Won't you all never
git done a-runnin' me about that side-saddle? You can't pleg me about
that. I got it for his pleasure, ef it was for my use, an', come to
think about it, I'd be jest reversin' the thing on the pitcher. It
would be for his use an' my pleasure. I wish I could see my way to buy
it for him. Both goblets go with it, you say--an' the slop bowl? It
cert'n'y is handsome--it cert'n'y is. An' it's expensive--nobody could
accuse me o' stintin' 'im. Wonder why they didn't put some polar bears
on the goblets, too. They'd 'a' had to be purty small bears, but they
could 'a' been cubs, easy.

"I don't reely believe, Mr. Lawson, indeed I don't, thet I could find a
mo' suitable present for him ef I took a month, an' I don't keer what
he's a-pickin' out for me this minute, it can't be no handsomer 'n
this. Th' ain't no use--I'll haf to have it--for 'im. Jest charge it,
please, an' now I want it marked. I'll pay cash for the markin', out of
my egg money. An' I want his full name. Have it stamped on the iceberg
right beside the bear. 'Ephraim N. Trimble.' No, you needn't to spell
out the middle name. I should say not. Ef you knew what it was you
wouldn'