l'arned to play 'Dixie' on a pyanner an' reads a new novel every week.
Ab's awfully tickled about it. Down at the store t'other day, when
Westerfelt rid by on his prancin' hoss, Clem Dill said: 'Ab, I reckon
it won't be long 'fore you move over on yore son-in-law's big farm,'
an' Ab laughed so hard he let the tobacco juice run down on his shirt.

"'Liz 'll manage his case,' sez he. 'Westerfelt may fly around the
whole caboodle of 'em, but when Liz gits 'er head set she cuts a wide
swathe an' never strikes a snag ur stump, an' cleans out the
fence-corners as smooth as a parlor floor.'"

Sally bent down over her uncle; her face was slowly hardening into
conviction. When she spoke her voice had lost its ring of defiance and
got its strength of utterance only from sheer despair.

"You saw them in his new buggy, Uncle Peter," she asked, "taking a
ride--are you sure?"

Peter Slogan dropped his eyes; he seemed to realize the force of the
blow he had helped to deal, and made no answer.

Mrs. Slogan laughed out triumphantly as she stooped to put her
smoothing-iron down on the hearth.

"Ride together!" she exclaimed. "As ef that was all! Why, he's been
goin' thar twice an' three times a week regular. Jest as he begun
taperin' off with you he tapered on with her. I don't reckon you
hardly remember when he come heer last, do you? Ab Lithicum's as big a
fool as yore mother was in not callin' a halt. Jest let a man have a
little property, an' be a peg or two higher as to family connections,