an
summer, and the brown rugs, like leaves in the woods, couldn't be beat;
but this green and yaller is purtier yet. That blue room will keep the
best lookin' part of fall on all winter, and with a roarin' wood fire,
it'll be capital, and no mistake; but this here is spring, jest spring
eternal, an' that's best of all. Looks like it was about time the leaves
was bustin' and things pushin' up. It wouldn't surprise me a mite to see
a flock of swallers come sailin' right through these winders. And here's
a place big enough to lay down and rest a spell right handy to the
kitchen, where a-body gits tiredest, without runnin' a half mile to find
a bed, and in the mornin' you can look down to the 'still waters'; and
in the afternoon, when the sun gits around here, you can pull that blind
and 'lift your eyes to the hills,' like David of the Bible says. My,
didn't he say the purtiest things! I never read nothin' could touch
him!"

"Have you seen the Psalms arranged in verse as we would write it now?"

"You don't mean to tell me David's been put into real poetry?"

"Yes. Some Bibles have all the poetical books in our forms of verse."

"Well! Sometimes I git kind o' knocked out! As a rule I hold to old
ways. I think they're the healthiest and the most faver'ble to the soul.
But they's some changes come along, that's got sech hard common-sense
to riccomend them, that I wonder the past generations didn't see sooner.
Now take this! An hour ago I'd told you I'd read my father's Bible to
the end of my days. But if they's a new one that's got David, Solomon,
and Job in nateral form, I'll have one, and I'll git a joy I never
expected out of life. I ain't got so much poetry in me, but it always
riled me to read, '7. The law of the Lord is perfect, covertin' the
soul. 8. The statutes of the Lord are right. 9. The fear of the Lord
is clean.' And so it goes on, 'bout as much figgers as they is poetry.
Always did worry me. So if they make Bibles 'cordin' to common sense,
I'll have one to-morrow if I have to walk to Onabasha to get it. Lawsy
me! if you ain't gathered up Marthy's old pink tea set, and give it a
show, too! Did you do that to please David, or do you honestly think
them is nice dishes?"

"I think they are beautiful," laughed the Girl, sinking to a chair. "I
don't know that it did please him. He had been studying the subject,
but something saved him from buying anything until I came. I'd have felt
dreadfully if he had gotten wh