sure do you right."

The representative of the government recharged his mouth. "'Lowed
as how I would," he returned. "I ain't one o' this here kind that
don't want t' see no changes. Gov'ment's all th' time makin'
'provements. Inspector 'lowed last trip we'd sure be a gettin'
mail twice a week at Flag next summer. This here's sure bound t'
be a big country some day.

"Talkin' 'bout new fangled things, though, men! I seed the
blamdest sight las' night that ever was in these woods, I reckon.
I gonies! Hit was a plumb wonder!" Kicking one foot from the
wooden stirrup and hitching sideways in the saddle, he prepared
for an effort.

"Little feller, he is. Ain't as tall as Preachin' Bill even, an'
fat! I gonies! he's fat as a possum 'n 'simmon time. HE don't
walk, can't; just naturally waddles on them little duck legs o'
hisn. An' he's got th' prettiest little ol' face; all red an'
white, an' as round's a walnut; an' a fringe of th' whitest hair
you ever seed. An' clothes! Say, men." In the pause the speaker
deliberately relieved his overcharged mouth. The two in the mill
waited breathlessly. "Long tailed coat, stove pipe hat, an' cane
with a gold head as big as a 'tater. 'Fo' God, men, there ain't
been ary such a sight within a thousand miles of these here hills
ever. An' doin's! My Lord, a'mighty!"

The thin form of the native doubled up as he broke into a laugh
that echoed and re-echoed through the little valley, ending in a
wild, "Whoop-e-e-e. Say! When he got out of th' hack last night at
th' Forks, Uncle Ike he catched sight o' him an' says, says he t'
me, 'Ba thundas! Lou, looky there! Talk 'bout prosperity. I'm
dummed if there ain't ol' Santa Claus a comin' t' th' Forks in th'
summa time. 'Ba thundas! What!'

"An' when Santa come in, he--he wanted--Now what d' you reckon he
wanted? A BATH! Yes, sir-e-e. Dad burn me, 'f he didn't. A bath!
Whoop-e-e, you ought t' seen Uncle Ike! He told him, 'Ba thundas!'
he could give him a bite to eat an' a place to sleep, but he'd be
pisined bit by rattlers, clawed by wild cats, chawed by the hogs,
et by buzzards, an' everlastin'ly damned 'fore he'd tote water
'nough fer anybody t' swim in. 'Ba thundas! What!'

"What's he doin' here?" asked Mr. Matthews, when the mountaineer
had recovered from another explosion.

Lou shook his head, as he straightened himself in the saddle.
"Blame me 'f I kin tell. Jest wouldn't tell 't all last night.
Wanted a BATH. Called Uncle Ike some