showing that he was gathering up tangled skeins of recollection.

"Wal, I swow," he finally ejaculated, with an astonished drawl, "ef I
hadn't a furgut the hull dum performance, an here I wuz a gittin up an
goin to work jess ez if court hadn't been stopped. Gosh, Sally, I
guess I be my own man tidday, ef I hev got a bad tas in my mouth.
Gorry, it's lucky I thort afore I wet my hed. I couldn't a gone tew
sleep agin," and Meshech turned toward the bed, with apparent
intention of resuming his slumbers.

But Mrs. Little, though she knew there had been serious disturbances
the preceding day, could by no means bring her mind to believe that
the entire system of law and public authority had been thus suddenly
and completely overthrown, and she yet again adjured her husband, this
time by a more dreadful name, to betake himself to labor.

"Ef ye don' go to work, Meshech, Squire Woodbridge 'll hev ye in the
stocks fer gittin drunk. Deakin kin git ye put in any time he wants
ter complain on ye. Ye better not rile him."

But at this Meshech, instead of being impressed, burst into a loud haw
haw.

"Yes'dy mornin ye could a scart me outer a week's growth a talkin
baout Squire, but, gol, ye'll have ter try suthen else naow. Wy don'
ye know we wuz a serenadin Squire with a hoss-fiddle till ten o'clock
las' night, an he didn' das show his nose outer doors.

"Gosh!" he continued, getting into bed and turning over toward the
wall, "I'd giv considabul, ef I could dream I wuz lickin Squire. Mebbe