"I s'pose ef a thousan men sh'd be daown tew Barrington nex' week
Tewsday, they could stop the jestice fr'm openin the Common Pleas,
jess same ez yew did," said Peleg, thoughtfully.

"Sartain," said Isaac, "sartain; leastways's long ez the militia
warn't aout, but gosh, they ain't no sense o' talkin baout sech
things! These hain't no sech times ez them wuz, an folks ain't what
they wuz, nuther. They seems kinder slimpsy; hain't got no grit."

During this talk, Elnathan had risen and gone feebly out.

"Elnathan seems tew take it tew heart baout leavin the ole place. I
hearn ez how Solomon Gleason's goin ter sell him aout pooty soon,"
Abner remarked.

"I guess t'ain't so much that as 'tis the bad news he's heerd baout
Reub daown tew Barrington jail," said Obadiah Weeks.

"What's abaout Reub?" asked Abner.

"He's a goin intew a decline daown to the jail."

"I wanter know! Poor Reub!" said Abner, compassionately. "He fout side
o' me tew Stillwater, an Perez was t'other side. Perez done me a good
turn that day, ez I shan't furgit in a hurry. Gosh, he'd take it hard
ef he hearn ez haow Reub wuz in jail! I never seed tew fellers set
more store by another 'n he did by Reub."

"Wonder ef Perez ain't never a comin hum. He hain't been back sence
the war. I hearn his folks had word a spell ago, ez he wuz a comin,"