have the picnic anyway. I b'lieve in havin' a good time when you start
out to have it. If you git knocked out of one plan, you want to git
yerself another right quick, before yer sperrits has a chance to fall.
Here comes Jake an' Chris with their baskets. Suppose you rench off
yer hands an' go gether up the rest of the childern. I 'spect Billy's
done hitched up by this time."

At the last moment Miss Hazy was still trying to make up her mind
whether or not she would go. "Them wheels don't look none too stiddy
fer sich a big load," she said cautiously.

"Them wheels is a heap sight stiddier than your legs," declared Mrs.
Wiggs.

"An' there ain't a meeker hoss in Kentucky than Cuby. He looks like he
might 'a' belonged to a preacher 'stid of bein' a broken-down engine-
hoss."

An unforeseen delay was occasioned by a heated controversy between
Lovey Mary and Tommy concerning the advisability of taking Cusmoodle.

"There ain't more than room enough to squeeze you in, Tommy," she
said, "let alone that fat old duck."

"'T ain't a fat old duck."

"'T is, too! He sha'n't go. You'll have to stay at home yourself if
you can't be good."

"I feel like I was doin' to det limber," threatened Tommy.