ne whu'l right in an' do sump'n.'

"Atter he study a w'ile he slap one han' on his knee, an' he 'low, he
do: 'Dat's de ticket! dat's de ticket! I reckon dey'll fin' ol' man
Hyar' ain' sech a fool ez he looks ter be, atter all.'

"He go lopin' all roun', leavin' wu'd at ev'y house in de kyountry dat a
big meetin' bin hilt an' a law passed dat ev'yb'dy gotter git ma'ied,
young an' ol', rich an' po', high an' low. He say ter hisse'f,
'_ev'yb'dy_, dat mean me, too, so dish yer whar I boun' ter git me a
wife.'

"De creeturs place der 'pennance on him, dough he done tucken 'em in so
often, an' on de 'pinted day dey met toge'rr; de gals all dress' up in
der Sunday clo'es an' de mens fixed up mighty sprucy, an' sech a pickin'
an' choosin' you nuver see in all yo' bawn days. De gals dey all stan'
up in line an' de men go struttin' mighty biggitty up an' down befo'
'em, showin' off an' makin' manners an' sayin', 'Howdy, ladiz, howdy,
howdy!' An' de gals dey'd giggle an' twis' an' putt a finger in de
cornders er der moufs, an' w'en a man step up ter one uv 'em ter choose
her out, she'd fetch 'im a li'l tap an' say, 'Hysh! g'way f'um yer, man!
better lemme 'lone!' an' den she'd giggle an' snicker some mo', but I
let you know she wuz sho' ter go wid him in de een'.

"All dis time Hyar' wuz gwine up an' down de line, bowin' an' scrapin'
an' tryin' ter mek hisse'f 'greeable ter ev'yb'dy, even de daddies an'
de mammies er de gals, whar wuz lookin' on f'um tu'rr side. Dar wuz whar
he miss hit, 'kase w'ile he wuz talkin' ter de mammy uv a mighty likely
li'l gal whar he think 'bout choosin', lo an' beholst, de choosin' wuz
all over, an' w'en Mistah Hyar' turnt roun' dar wan't nair' a gal lef',
an' ev'y man have a wife asseptin' him.

"Den dey hilt a big darnsin' an' feastin', an' ev'yb'dy wuz happy an' in
a monst'ous good humor, de gals 'kase dey done wot ma'ied, an' de paws
an' de maws 'kase dey done got redd er de gals,--ev'yb'dy 'scusin'
Hyar'. Dey mek lots er game uv 'im, an' w'en dey darnse pas', dey sings
out: 'Heyo! Mistah Hyar', huccome you ain' darnse?' 'Bring yo' wife, ol'
man, an' jine in de fun!' 'Hi! yi! Mistar Hyar', you done ma'y off
ev'yb'dy else an' stay single yo'se'f? Well, dat de meanes' trick you
done played us yit! 'tain' fair!' An' dey snicker an' run on 'twel
Hyar' wish he ain' nuver year de wu'd ma'y.

"Atter w'ile dey got tired er darnsin' an' tucken der new wifes an' went
off home leavin' Hyar' all by hiss