andin' an' he fair roll an'
kick hisse'f wid laughin'. `A good yob I _ar'n't_ had my breakfas','
ses he. `I'd a lost a deal more'n meat if I had a done,' ses he agen,
an' den he ups an' he offs back to Ou' Wolf's house.

"All de way back he kep' on a-smilin' to hisse'f, an' every once in a
while he'd give a skip an' a dance to tink what a high ole time he was
a-havin'. Den by'n'by he picks up a piece o' paper. `Yust de t'ing I's
wantin',' ses he.

"Well, he come to Ou' Wolf's house an dere was Missis Wolf a-sittin' out
on de stoop an' a pullin' down de flaps of her cappie to keep de flies
off'n her nose. `Mawnin', Cousin,' ses Ou' Jackalse; fair as polite as
honey wouldn't run down his t'roat if you let him hold it in his mouf.

"`Mawnin',' ses she, an' she ain't a-singin' it out like a Halleloolya
needer, an' she don't stir from where she's a-settin', an' she don't say
how-dy-do. She yust look at him like she's seen him befo'e, an' like
she ain't a breakin' her neck if she don't never see him agen.

"But Ou' Jackalse he ain't a-seein' nawtin' but what she's yust as glad
to see him as if he was a predicant. `I's got a bit of a note here from
your man,' ses he. `P'r'aps you don't mind readin' it an' den you'll
know,' ses he.

"Missis Wolf she cock her nose down at dat note, an' den Missis Wolf she
slant her eye up at Ou' Jackalse. But Ou' Jackalse he yust kep' on
between a sort o' smilin' to see her keepin' so well, and a sort o' dat
tired feelin' dat life's sich a one-hawse business anyhow, till at last
she up an' took darie paper.

"She turn dis piece o' paper dis way an' turn it dat way, an'
upside-down an' t'oder-side-to, an' at last she ses, ses she, `I don't
never could read pen-writin' so well's I could book letters, an' darie
Ou' Wolf he write sich a terr'ble fist anyhow. I al'ays said he ought
to be sent to school agen. You better to read it fo' me,' ses she.

"Ou' Jackalse he took de paper as if it ain't nawtin' anyhow, an' he
looks as if livin' ain't no more'n a team o' donkeys an' a ole rope
harness to a buck waggon nohow. Den he reads it off to hisse'f, sort o'
mutterin' it over fus' to see what it's all about, an' den he ups an'
talks it off about as happy as if it give him a hoe an' sent him into de
to'acco lan's.

"`Oh,' he ses. `Your man he yust ses for you to gi' me dem hin'quarters
o' darie Eland I yust bargained for wid him. But, _Siss_! it 'pears he
want me to car' it home myse