! Not me, Brother Roach," said Brother Brannum; "I've heard
no news. Down in my settlement I'm cut off from the world. Let them
caper as they may, we're not pestered wi' misinformation."

"No, nor me nuther, Brother Brannum," said Brother Roach, "bekaze it's
as much as I can do for to listen at the racket of my mill. Yit there
are some sights meal dust won't begin to hide, and some talk the
clatter of the hopper won't nigh drown."

"What might they be, Brother Roach?" Brother Brannum brushed the dust
off a box with his coat-tails, and sat down.

"Well, sir," said Brother Roach, pushing his hat back, and placing his
thumbs behind his suspenders, "last Sat'day gone I was a-hurrying to
and fro, when who should pop in at the door but Giner'l Bledser?

"'Hello, Johnny!' says he, free and familiar.

"'Howdy, Giner'l,' says I. 'You look holp up, speaking off-hand,' says
I.

"'That I am, Johnny, that I am,' says he; 'I've made a trade that makes
me particular proud,' says he.

"'How's that, Giner'l?' says I.

"'Why, I've sold Blue Dave,' says he; 'eight year ago, I bought him for
five hundred dollars, and now I've sold him to Mizzerg Denham for a
thousand,' says he. 'I've got the cold cash in my pocket, and now let
'em ketch the nigger,' says he.

"'Well, Giner'l,' says I, 'it'll be time for to marvel arter you
seethe outcome, bekaze,' says I, 'when there's business in the wind,
Mizzers Denham is as long-headed and as cle'r-sighted as a Philedelphia
lawyer,' says I.

"And (would you believe it, Brother Brannum?) the outcome happened then
and there right before our very face and eyes."

"In what regards, Brother Roach?" said Brother Brannum, rubbing his
bony hands together.

"Well, sir, I glanced my eye out of the door, and I see the Denham
carriage coming down yan hill. I p'inted it out to the Giner'l, and he
ups and says, says he--

"'Davy, though she may be a-going to town for to sue me for damages,
yit, if Mizzers Denham's in that carriage, I'll salute her now,' says
he; and then he took his stand in the door, as frisky as a colt and as
smiling as a basket of chips. As they come up, I tetch'd the Giner'l on
the shoulder.

"'Giner'l,' says I, 'look clost at that nigger on the carriage,--look
clost at him,' says I.

"'Why, what the thunderation!' says he.

"'To be certain!' says I; 'that's your Blue Dave, and he looks mighty
slick,' says I.

"The Giner'l forgot for to say howdy," continued Brother Roach,