him out, stranger, he was a-lookin' fer
Abe.

``Somebody tells Harve Hall, up thar
at a dance on Hell-fer-Sartain one Christmas
night, that Rich Harp had said
somep'n' agin him an' Nance Osborn.
An' somebody tells Rich that Harve had
said sompe'n' agin Nance an' HIM. Hit
was one an' the same feller, stranger, an'
the feller was Abe. Well, while Rich
an' Harve was a-gittin' well, somebody
runs off with Nance. Hit was Abe.
Then Rich an' Harve jes draws straws
fer a feller. Stranger, they drawed fer
Abe. Hit's purty hard to believe that
Abe air gone, 'cept that Rich Harp an'
Harve Hall don't never draw no straws
fer nothin'; but 'f by the grace o' Goddle-
mighty Abe air gone, why, as I was
a-sayin', the rest of us--every durned one
of us air a-goin' to be saved, shore.
Fer Abe's gone fust, an' ef thar's only
one Jedgment Day, the Lawd 'll nuver
git to us.''




A PURPLE RHODODENDRON