ttin' he remarked that he was in hopes thet
some o' the reg'lars would 'a' took time to answer a few questions thet
had bothered his mind f'om time to time--an' of c'ose they must know;
which, to my mind, was the modes'est remark a boy ever did make.

Well, sir, that's the way this diplomy was earned--by a good, hard
struggle, in open daylight, by unanymous vote of all concerned--an'
unconcerned, for that matter. An' my opinion is thet if they are those
who have any private opinions about it, an' they didn't express 'em that
day, why they ain't got no right to do it underhanded, ez I am sorry to
say has been done.

But it's _his_ diplomy, an' it's handsomer fixed up than any in town,
an' I doubt ef they ever was one _anywhere_ thet was took more paternal
pride in.

Wife she ain't got so yet thet she can look at it without sort o'
cryin'--thess the look of it seems to bring back the figure o' the
little feller, ez he helt his ground, single-handed, at that gradj'atin'
that day.

Well, sir, we was so pleased to have him turned out a full gradj'ate
thet, after it was all over, why, I riz up then and there, though I
couldn't hardly speak for the lump in my th'oat, an' I said thet I
wanted to announce thet Sonny was goin' to have a gradj'atin' party out
at our farm that day week, an' thet the present company was all invited.

An' he did have it, too; an' they all come, every mother's son of
'em--from _a_ to _izzard_--even to them that has expressed secret
dissatisfactions; which they was all welcome, though it does seem to me
thet, ef I 'd been in their places, I'd 'a' hardly had the face to come
an' talk, too.

I'm this kind of a disposition myself: ef I was ever to go to any kind
of a collation thet I expressed disapproval of, why, the supper couldn't
be good enough not to choke me.

An' Sonny, why, he's constructed on the same plan. We ain't never told
him of any o' the remarks thet has been passed. They might git his
little feelin's hurted, an' 't wouldn't do no good, though some few has
been made to his face by one or two smarty, ill-raised boys.

Well, sir, we give 'em a fine party, ef I do say it myself, an' they
all had a good time. Wife she whipped up eggs an' sugar for a week
befo'hand, an' we set the table out under the mulberries. It took
eleven little niggers to wait on 'em, not countin' them thet worked
the fly-fans. An' Sonny he ast the blessin'.

Then, after they'd all et, Sonny he had a' exhibitio