, with great
confusion of pronouns, about a big pig which had lately been killed.
"John did feel dreadful disappointed at having to kill now," we heard
him say, "bein' as he had calc'lated to kill along near Thanksgivin'
time; there was goin' to be a new moon then, and he expected to get
seventy-five or a hundred pound more on to him. But he didn't seem to
gain, and me and 'Bijah both told him he'd be better to kill now, while
everything was favor'ble, and if he set out to wait something might
happen to him, and then I've always held that you can't get no hog only
just so fur, and for my part I don't like these great overgrown
creatur's. I like well enough to see a hog that'll weigh six hunderd,
just for the beauty on't, but for my eatin' give me one that'll just
rise three. 'Bijah's accurate, and he says he is goin' to weigh risin'
five hundred and fifty. I shall stop, as I go home, to John's wife's
brother's and see if they've got the particulars yet; John was goin' to
get the scales this morning. I guess likely consider'ble many'll gather
there to-morrow after meeting. John didn't calc'late to cut up till
Monday."

"I guess likely I 'll stop in to-morrow," said the other man; "I like to
see a han'some hog. Chester White, you said? Consider them best, don't
ye?" But this question never was answered, for the greater part of the
circus company in gorgeous trappings came parading in.

The circus was like all other circuses, except that it was shabbier than
most, and the performers seemed to have less heart in it than usual.
They did their best, and went through with their parts conscientiously,
but they looked as if they never had had a good time in their lives. The
audience was hilarious, and cheered and laughed at the tired clown until
he looked as if he thought his speeches might possibly be funny, after
all. We were so glad we had pleased the poor thing; and when he sang a
song our satisfaction was still greater, and so he sang it all over
again. Perhaps he had been associating with people who were used to
circuses. The afternoon was hot, and the boys with Japanese fans and
trays of lemonade did a remarkable business for so late in the season;
the brass band on the other side of the tent shrieked its very best, and
all the young men of the region had brought their girls, and some of
these countless pairs of country lovers we watched a great deal, as they
"kept company" with more or less depth of satisfaction in each