al custom, risen from his bed long before
cockcrow, and, having cooked and eaten his "morning bread," had
unlatched his door in order to throw a morsel to his old hog-hound,
"Drive," who had already crept from under the house, and stood wagging
his stump of a tail in eager expectancy. The morsel being thrown, the
old man had cast a knowing look towards the heavens, and, judging by
the seven stars that it yet lacked an hour to dawn, had returned to
the smoky warmth and comfort of his hovel, where, seated in the
chimney nook, he had nodded till roused by the crowings from all the
neighboring henroosts--for his cabin was one of many.

The pipe being smoked, Ung Jerry rose stiffly, and, shuffling to his
bed, fumbled underneath it, and, taking care not to disturb the
setting hen, brought out two bits of old blanket, with which he
proceeded to wrap his feet before putting on his shoes.[2]

The hog-horn was now slung over the old coat, a bucket of cold
victuals was reached from the shelf, and the old hog-feeder, equipped
for his day's work, lifted the latch, and, stepping out into the sharp
frostiness of the November morning, plodded with heavy steps toward
the barnyard, Drive following closely at his heels.

The frosty fields were glittering in the slant rays of the newly risen
sun, and sounds of busy life came floating through the crisp air,
telling the old man that the day's labor had begun. The sharp crack
of the teamster's whip told that the great ox wagons were already
afield. The plow-boys whistled as they led out their mules; men and
short-skirted, heavily shod women went trooping to the cotton fields;
the milkwomen stepped briskly by, with the foaming pails balanced upon
their well-poised heads. Then came the cowboys, with noisy whoop,
driving before them the crowding, clumsy, sweet-breathed herd, while,
fearlessly amid all, pigeons fluttered, greedily picking up the refuse
grain, heedless of the hoofs among which they pecked and fluttered.

One small, grizzled mule, of great age and much cunning, had contrived
to slip into the feedroom, and was there enjoying a stolen bait of
oats when Ung Jerry found her.

"You 'speck I wan't gwine fine you, I reckon, but you 'se wrong dis
time," he said, taking her by one of the long ears and leading her off
to the barnyard, where the little cart awaited her.

Drive, meanwhile, had crept under the barn, where, nosing about, he
had come upon a hen's nest, and was feasting upon