na. Kind o' musical around these parts?"

"Wal, we're comin' on--comin' on nicely," observed Silas, winking at
his friends gathered round.

Gay nodded, and proceeded to support him.

"Y'see, most of our leddies has got higher than 'cordions an' sech
things. Though I 'lows a concertina takes a beatin'. Still, education
has got loose on Barnriff, an' I heerd tell as ther's some o' the
folks yearnin' fer piannys. I did hear one of our leadin' citizens,
Mr. Anthony Smallbones, was about to finance a brass band layout."

"Ther' ain't nuthin' to beat a slap-up band," agreed the freighter
politely. "But these yer harmoniums, they're kind o' cussed, some.
Guess my ma had one some years back, but she traded it off fer a new
cook-stove, with a line o' Chicago bacon thrown in. I won't say but
she had the best o' the deal, too. Y'see that ther' harmonium had its
drawbacks. You never could gamble if it had a cold in the head or a
mortal pain in its vitals. It wus kind o' passionate in some of its
keys, and wep' an' sniveled like a spanked kid in others. Then it
would yep like a hound if you happened to push the wrong button, an'
groan to beat the band if you didn't. Nope. They're cur'us things if
they ain't treat right, an' I guess my ma hadn't got the knack o'
pullin' them bolts right. Y'see she'd been trained hoein' kebbeges on
a farm in her early years, an' I guess ther' ain't nothin' more
calc'lated to fix a woman queer fer the doin's o' perlite sassiety
than hoein' kebbeges. Guess I'll get right on."

He paid for his drink, and, followed by the whole company, hobbled out
to his wagon. He was a queer figure, but, at the moment, his defects
were forgotten in the interest created by his mission to Barnriff.

What prosperity the possession of a harmonium suggested to those men
might have been judged by the attitude they took up the moment they
were outside. They crowded round the wagon and gazed at the
baize-covered instrument, caged within its protecting crate. They
reached out and felt it through the baize; they peeked in through the
gaping covering, and a hushed awe prevailed, until, with a cheery
wave of the hand, the teamster drove off in the direction of Eve's
house.

Then the chorus of comment broke out.

"Gee!" exclaimed Wilkes. "A--a harmonium!" Then, overpowered by his
emotion, he remained silent.

"Psha! Makes me sick!" cried Smallbones. "My sister in Iowa has got a
fiddle; an' I know she plays five toons on i