on't think I will listen to any tales that
your eyes may tell unless they're tales I like and ought to hear.

Asa If I thought they'd tell any other, Miss Mary, I pluck them right
out and throw them in the first turnip patch I came to.

Mary And now tell me more about your home in America. Do you know I've
listened to your stories until I'm half a backwoodsman's wife already?

Asa [Aside.] Wouldn't I like to make her a whole one.

Mary Yes, I can shut my eyes and almost fancy I see your home in the
backwoods. There are your two sisters running about in their sunbonnets.

Asa Debby and Nan? Yes!

Mary Then I can see the smoke curling from the chimney, then men and
boys working in the fields.

Asa Yes.

Mary The girls milking the cows, and everybody so busy.

Asa Yes.

Mary And then at night, home come your four big brothers from the hunt
laden with game, tired and foot sore, and covered with snow.

Asa That's so.

Mary Then how we lasses bustle about to prepare supper. The fire blazes
on the hearth, while your good old mother cooks the slapjacks.

Asa [Getting very excited.] Yes.

Mary And then after supper the lads and lasses go to a corn husking. The
demijohn of old peach brandy is brought out and everything is so nice.

Asa I shall faint in about five minutes, Miss Mary you're a darned sight
too good for this country. You ought to make tracks.

Mary Make what?

Asa Make tracks, pack up, and emigrate to the roaring old state of
Vermont, and live 'long with mother. She'd make you so comfortable, and
there would be sister Debby and Nab, and well, I reckon I'd be there,
too.

Mary Oh! I'm afraid if I were there your mother would find the poor
English girl a sad incumbrance.

Asa Oh, she ain't proud, not a mite, besides they've all seen Britishers
afore.

Mary I suppose you allude to my cousin, Edward Trenchard?

Asa Well, he wan't the only one, there was the old Squire, Mark
Trenchard.

Mary [Starting Aside.] My grandfather!

Asa Oh! he was a fine old hoss, as game as a bison bull, and as gray as
a coon in the fall; you see he was kinder mad with his folks here, so
he came over to America to look after the original branch of the family,
that's our branch. We're older than the Trenchard's on this side of the
water. Yes we've got the start of the heap.

Mary Tell me, Mr. Trenchard, did he never receive any letters from his
daughter?

Asa Oh yes, lots of them, but the old cuss never read them