s fiery whiskers he laughed with a hack
that cut like the bleat of a sheep.

"Jim," said the Major, turning to Taylor, who had not left his seat,
"you'd better try a little. It won't hurt you."

"No, thank you, Major, I'm afraid of it."

"Let him alone," Gid spoke. "One drink of this and he'd carry off the
gate, posts and all and leave them on the hill. Don't tempt him."

"Gentlemen," said Perdue, "I have always made it a rule never to repeat
anything that my children say, for I know how such a thing bores folks,
but I will tell you what my son Ab said the other night. His mother was
gettin' him ready for bed--just a little more, Major. There, that's a
plenty. Mother was gettin' him ready for bed and he looked up----"

"I feel the blood of youth mounting from the feet of the past to the
head of the present," Gid broke in. "I can jump a ten rail fence, staked
and ridered."

"And I'm pretty jumpy myself," the Major declared. "But what were you
going to say, Perdue?"

"I was goin' to say that I always make it a rule never to repeat
anything that my children say, for I have often had fellers bore me with
the smart sayin's of their children--and I know that most every man
thinks that his children are the brightest in the country and all
that--but the other night as my wife was gettin' Ab ready for bed he
looked up----"

"We never had any children at our house," said Wash Sanders, scratching
his chin with his polished finger-nail, "but I jest as good as raised
one nephew. You remember Dan, don't you, Major?"

"Mighty well. Went to Texas, didn't he?"

"Yes, and got to cowboyin' around and was killed."

"I recall that he was a very bright young man," said the Major. "But
what were you going to say, Perdue?"

"I was goin' to say that I always make it a rule never to tell anything
that my children say, knowin' how it seems to pester folks, for I have
been nearly bored to death by fellers breakin' in and tellin' what they
of course thought was a powerful smart thing, said by one of their
children--so I am mighty keerful about such things, makin' it a rule
never to repeat anything said by my children, but the other night as my
wife was gettin' Ab ready for bed----"

"Somebody's hollering helloa at the gate," said Jim. "Hush a minute.
There it is again."

The Major went out and presently returned, bringing with him a large
blue envelope. "It's from the county clerk," he said, sitting down and
breaking the seal. "Br