"Don't be too hard on Jabe this morning, Samanthy,--he's been to see the
Baptist minister at Edgewood; you know he's going to be baptized some
time next month."

"Well, he needs it! But land sakes! you couldn't make them Slocums pious
'f you kep' on baptizin' of 'em till the crack o' doom. I never hearn
tell of a Slocum's gittin' baptized in July. They allers take 'em after
the freshets in the spring o' the year, 'n' then they have to be
turrible careful to douse 'em lengthways of the river. Look at him, will
ye? I b'lieve he's grown sence yesterday! If he'd ever stood stiff on
his feet when he was a boy, he needn't 'a' been so everlastin' tall; but
he was forever roostin' on fences' with his laigs danglin', 'n' the heft
of his feet stretched 'em out,--it couldn't do no dif'rent. I ain't got
no patience with him."

"Jabe has considerable many good points," said Miss Cummins loyally;
"he's faithful,--you always know where to find him."

"Good reason why," retorted Samantha. "You always know where to find him
'cause he gen'ally hain't moved sence you seen him last. Gittin'
religion ain't goin' to help him much. If he ever hears tell 'bout the
gate of heaven bein' open 't the last day, he won't 'a' begun to begin
thinkin' 'bout gittin' in tell he hears the door shet in his face; 'n'
then he'll set ri' down's comf'table's if he was inside, 'n' say, 'Wall,
better luck next time: slow an' sure 's my motto!' Good-mornin',
Jabe,--had your dinner?"

"I ain't even hed my breakfast," responded Mr. Slocum easily.

"Blessed are the lazy folks, for they always git their chores done for