with a comprehensive glance, "What might yer name be?"

"Ulmer," I said.

"No? You been't Phil's son, be yer?"

"Yes, sir."

"Yer don't tell me! Wall, by gosh! I like Phil, he's a durned smart 'un.
I'll tell yer what, I'd like ter see him and Jimmie Blaine a settin' up in
them gol-durn presidential cheers; why, by gosh, they'd jist open the hull
durned treasury bildin' an let all ther gor-ramed gold an' silver role
right out inter the streets, by gosh, they would." Having delivered
himself of this panegyric, together with an accumulated quantity of saliva
resulting from the constant mastication of a large tobacco quid, he again
turned his attention to the pile of poles and said, "How much did yer say
fur the lot?"

"Twenty dollars."

"Twenty!" Drawing the corners of his mouth down and stroking his chin,
then turning to me, "Wall, more I look at yer, by gosh, yer do look like
Phil. Wall, I'd like purty well ter have them poles, but--," as if a
sudden idea had struck him,--"Don't want ter trade fur a horse, dew yer?"

"What kind of a horse?"

"Wall, a pooty durned good 'un. I hain't druve him much lately, but he
yused ter go like smoke; he's a leetle old but, will prick up his ears
like a colt when he's a mind ter."

"Well, I do want a horse, if I can trade for one," I said, trying not to
show anxiety.

"Say, got time ter get on' ter the waggin an go over to my farm and see
him, take dinner with me? Guess, the old woman'll have enough for both."

Being anxious, I accepted the invitation, and was soon on the way. He
pestered me with all kinds of questions; asked all about my family affairs
and told me all of his and every other family for miles about. Finally we
reached his house, one of those old-fashioned farm houses with several old
tumble-down sheds and out-buildings attached, near by an old barn that was
once painted red, the shingles had rotted and blown off here and there, so
you could see daylight from any portion inside. Scattered about were old
wagon boxes, odd wheels, old toothless harrows, plows, a wheelbarrow
upside down with the wheel gone, part of an old harness lying across it;
bits of harness were hanging on pegs in the barn. Geese, turkeys and
chickens were numerous and clucked about as if they were really pleased to
see us, and in fact, I discounted or anticipated the looks of the house
from the careless dilapidated appearance of every thing around and about
the old man's farm.

[Illustr