with it, a very smart
appearance indeed. Then she called the boys and bade them wash
their hands and faces and whispered a warning to each, while her
mother announced that dinner was ready.

"Paul, what's an adjective?" said the teacher, as they sat down.

"A word applied to a noun to qualify or limit its meaning," the boy
answered glibly.

"Right! And what adjective would you apply to this table?"

The boy thought a moment.

"Grand!" said he, tentatively.

"Correct! I'm going to have just such a dinner every day on my
farm."

"Then you'll have to have Polly too," said Tom, innocently.

"Well, you can spare her."

"No, sir," the boy answered. "You ain't good to her; she cries
every time you go away."

There was an awkward silence and the widow began to laugh and Polly
and Trove to blush deeply.

"Maybe she whispered, an' he give her a talkin' to," said Paul.

"Have you heard about Ezra Tower?" said Mrs. Vaughn, shaking her
head at the boys and changing the topic with shrewd diplomacy.

"Much; but nothing new," said Trove.

"Well, he swears he'll never cross the Fadden bridge or speak to
anybody in Pleasant Valley."

"Why?"

"The taxes. He don't believe in improvements, and when he tried to
make a speech in town-meeting they all jeered him. There ain't any
one good enough for him to speak to now but himself an'--an' his
Creator."

In the midst of dinner, they heard an outcry in the yard. Tom's
game-cock had challenged the old rooster, and the two were leaping
and striking with foot and wing. Before help came the old rooster
was badly cut in the neck and breast. Tunk rescued him, and
brought him to the woodshed, where Trove sewed up his wounds. He
had scarcely finished when there came a louder outcry among the
fowls. Looking out they saw a gobbler striding slowly up the path
and leading the game-cock with a firm hold on the back of his neck.
The whole flock of fowls were following. The rooster held back and
came on with long but unequal strides, Never halting, the turkey
led him into the full publicity of the open yard. Now the cock was
lifted so his feet came only to the top of the grass; now his head
was bent low, and his feet fell heavily. Through it all the
gobbler bore himself with dignity and firmness. There was no show
of wrath or unnecessary violence. He swung the cock around near
the foot of the maple tree and walked him back and then returned
with him. Half his journey t