upon the carpet occasioned an angry
outburst from Sorrel Top, who did not see her young mistress just
behind.

"Tom Tinknor is a filthy fellow," said she, and I'm glad he's gone; he
kept me cleaning up after him all the time, and now here's two more
great spots to be scrubbed."

"'Tween you and me Tom didn't make them are," said Daddy indignantly.

"He did, too."

"He didn't nuther, I see Mr. Sherman set in that are very spot
yesterday."

At the commencement of the dispute, Little Wolf slipped away and
sought refuge in her own room, and Daddy embraced the opportunity to
lecture Sorrel Top soundly.

"'Tween you and me, you've disgusted the Honey," said he, "speakin so
unrespectful of her friends."

"She don't know nothing about it," said Sorrel Top.

"'Tween you and me she stood right behind you and heered the hull,"
said Daddy triumphantly.

"I don't believe it," said Sorrel Top, getting very red in the face.

"I'll leave it to Miss Hawley," said Daddy.

Mrs. Hawley corrobarated the statement and Daddy continued his
lecture.

"'Tain't never best to speak disrespectful of nobody," said he, "I
never du, except of them are liquor sellers, and sich low critters.
'Tween you an' me, Mr. Tinknor is a very respectable young man; he
told me he'd never drunk a drop of liquor in his hull life, except
once when he had the colic, and it ain't likely he'll ever tech the
infarnel stuff agin, for he ain't subject to colic, and if he should
be tackled with it, I've told him how to doctor with hot plates and
yarb tea. I advised him not to send fur no doctor, fur ten chances tu
one, they would prescribe brandy. Them doctors, as a general thing,
don't know no better than to prescribe things fur young men that gits
'em in the habit of drinkin. I wouldn't hev the Honey heard you run
down Mr. Tom, as you did, fur no money. I hope this will be a warnin
fur you to be oncommon keerful of that are tongue of yourn in futur."

"I guess Miss DeWolf can tend to her own affairs without anybody's
help," said Sorrel Top, not in the least dismayed by Daddy's
expostulations. "I wonder what has sot you agin Mr. Sherman, he is
much more agreeable than Tom Tinknor, and I had rather clean up his
dirt a thousand times, than so much as set a chair for that silly
Tom."

"You never had no penetration, no how," said Daddy contemptously, "if
you ever marry you'll get a drunken loafer to wait on, no doubt."

With this unkind prophesy on his lips