e staid any longer, 'Mr. Slick,'
sais he, 'the least said, is the soonest mended, let's be a movin', this
scene of noise and riot is shockin' to a religious man, ain't it?' and
he let go a groan, as long as the embargo a'most.

"Well, we had no sooner turned to go, than the French people sot up a
cheer that made all ring again; and they sung out, "La Fossy Your," "La
Fossy Your," and shouted it agin and agin ever so loud.

"'What's that?' sais Steve.

"Well, I didn't know, for I never heerd the word afore; but it don't do
to say you don't know, it lowers you in the eyes of other folks. If you
don't know What another man knows he is shocked at your ignorance. But
if he don't know what you do, he can find an excuse in a minute. Never
say you don't know.

"'So,' sais I, 'they jabber so everlastin' fast, it ain't no easy matter
to say what they mean; but it sounds like "good bye," you'd better
turn round and make 'em a bow, for they are very polite people, is the
French.'

"So Steve turns and takes off his hat, and makes them a low bow, and
they larfs wus than ever, and calls out again, "La Fossy Your," "La
Fossy Your." He was kinder ryled, was the Elder. His honey had begun
to farment, and smell vinegery. 'May be, next Christmas,' sais he, 'you
won't larf so loud, when you find the mare is dead. Goodish and the old
mare are jist alike, they are all tongue them critters. I rather think
it's me,' sais he, 'has the right to larf, for I've got the best of this
bargain, and no mistake. This is as smart a little hoss as ever I see.
I know where I can put him off to great advantage. I shall make a good
day's work of this. It is about as good a hoss trade as I ever made. The
French don't know nothin' about hosses; they are a simple people, their
priests keep 'em in ignorance on purpose, and they don't know nothin'.'

"He cracked and bragged considerable, and as we progressed we came
to Montagon Bridge. The moment pony sot foot on it, he stopped short,
pricked up the latter eends of his ears, snorted, squeeled and refused
to budge an inch. The Elder got mad. He first coaxed and patted, and
soft sawdered him, and then whipt and spurred, and thrashed him like any
thing. Pony got mad too, for hosses has tempers as well as Elders; so he
turned to, and kicked right straight up on eend, like Old Scratch, and
kept on without stoppin' till he sent the Elder right slap over his
head slantendicularly, on the broad of his back into the