ing fierce to be told point blank that she had to do such an'
so, "'Cause she was a girl."

"If tobacco stunts your growth, how's it come 'at old Tank Williams an'
George Hendricks an' Happy an' a lot more o' the boys is all over six
feet tall," she sez one day durin' a try-out, "while Flap Jack is the
smallest man on the place an' he don't never use it at all--'cept when
he cuts his finger."

"Things don't allus work alike," sez Jabez, slow an' cautious. "The
tall ones would all 'av' been taller if they hadn't used it, an'
Flappy, he wouldn't 'a' been able to see out of his boots if he had."

"Well, I don't see as it makes much difference, anyhow," sez she. "I
don't want to be so everlastin' tall, so I reckon I'll just smoke four
a day an' that'll--"

"I reckon you won't smoke any a day," sez Jabez, gettin' riled.
"Smokin' cigarettes is a nasty, filthy habit, an'--"

"Then I'll smoke a pipe," sez Barbie.

"No you won't smoke a pipe! I don't intend to have a gal child of mine
smokin' anything. It's disgustin', an--"

"It ain't as disgustin' as chewin', an' you chew," sez Barbie.

"Now you look here!" yells Jabez, hot as a hornet, "I'm a man an' you
ain't, an' that makes a heap o' difference. I had to give up cussin' on
your account, but I don't intend to go to wearin' dresses complete,
just to keep you halfway respectable."

"Yes, an' I got three cusses comin' to me too," sez Barbie. "I heard
you over at the hay-barn yesterday."

"That don't count--the agreement was, 'about the house'; an' besides,
you didn't have no call to be there."

"Yes I did. I couldn't light my cigarette out in the wind so I got
behind the barn. You are the one 'at didn't have no call to cuss. The'
wasn't anything wrong at the hay-barn an' you was all alone. I just
know 'at you went there to cuss 'cause I made you own up at breakfast
that it wasn't no worse for me to fling the oatmeal out the window when
it didn't suit me than it was for you to fling the coffee."

The old man just stood an' stared at her so I knew 'at the little witch
had rooted out his devisement. "When you are older, Barbara," ol' Cast
Steel sez in his coldest tone, "you will understand these things an' be
glad of the care I took of you; but now I am compelled to lay down a
law. You are never to smoke again until you're of legal age."

"What's legal age?" sez she.

"Twenty-one years," sez Jabez.

"That'll be thirteen years," sez Barbie. "All right; but I'm goi