"'Oh, th' dirty little coward
That shot Doctor Howard
And laid Jesse James in his grave.'"

[Illustration]

"Them's Willie and Freddie Sparks. They was cute little fellers but it's
awful t' think th' way they turned out, pa says. Willie's an editor and
Freddie's a lawyer, and they work together jist fine. Willie gits into
trouble, and Freddie, he gits him out."

[Illustration]

"Perfessor Leander Crabb, that is. He's principal of th' Ellumwood high
school and he's a tumble coffee drinker--two quart a day when he was
writin' his book, 'Tokens of Hope, or Is This, Then, All?' Pa, he read
th' book through, then he says, 'Well, I hope it is,' he says.

"Turn over."

[Illustration]

"Them's ma's cousin Peter and his wife and baby, down t' Beardstown. He
ain't handsome but he's an awful good man. Pa says onct Cousin Pete was to
a party where there was a game t' give a prize t' th' one what'd make th'
homeliest face, and th' judge walked right over t' Pete and give him th'
prize, and Pete says, supprised like, 'Why, I ain't begun yit,' he says. I
reckon it never reely happened; jist one of pa's jokes, I guess.