thought it was his bar'l that beat me."

The widow is striving so hard to understand that the man speaks more
slowly.

"But I meet him at Owen Sound. Between you and me he was to fix
me--see?"

The woman does not see.

"You mustn't say it to nobody, but I went to Georgian Bay to show him
my slate."

"Is it politics?"

"That's what it is, and it's mighty dirty work. But I don't think your
husband was no politician."

It is a compliment, and the woman so receives it.

"He was late, and the old tub was rubbing the pier away when the
jackleg train arrive."

"The st-st-steamer was wa-wa-waiting," explained the boy.

"Ah! yes," nods the listener.

"You see, the coon can't talk," says Corkey, "but he's got any number
of points. Well, we wet our whistles, and it's raw stuff they sell
over there--but you don't know nothing about that. I introduce him to