o' vittles sence I turned fifty year o' age."

A flattered smile overspread Mrs. Homan's visage, and the other sisters,
noting it, wondered how long it would be before she showed her claws in
Abraham's presence.

"Hy-guy, Angy," Abe went on, "yew can't believe nothin' yew hear, kin
yer? Why, folks have told me that yew ladies--What yew hittin' my foot
fer, Mother? Folks have told me," a twinkle of amusement in his eye at
the absurdity, "that yew fight among yerselves like cats an' dogs, when,
law! I never see sech a clever lot o' women gathered tergether in all
my life. An' I believe--Mother, I hain't a-sayin' nothin'! I jest want
ter let 'em know what I think on 'em. I believe that thar must be three
hunderd hearts in this here place 'stid o' thirty. But dew yew know,
gals, folks outside even go so fur's ter say that yew throw plates at
one another!"

There was a moment's silence; then a little gasp first from one and then
from another of the group. Every one looked at Mrs. Homan, and from Mrs.
Homan to Sarah Jane. Mrs. Homan tightened her grip on the pancake
turner; Sarah Jane uneasily moved her long fingers within reach of a
sturdy little red-and-white pepper-pot. Another moment passed, in which
the air seemed filled with the promise of an electric storm. Then
Blossy spoke hurriedly--Blossy the tactician, clasping her hands
together and bringing Abe's attention to herself.

"Really! You surprise me! You don't mean to say that folks talk about us
like that!"

"Slander is a dretful long-legged critter," amended Miss Abigail,
smiling and sighing in the same breath.

"Sary Jane," inquired Mrs. Homan sweetly, "what 's the matter with that
pepper-pot? Does it need fillin'?"

And so began the reign of peace in the Old Ladies' Home.

VI

INDIAN SUMMER

Miss Abigail had not banked in vain on the "foresightedness of the
Lord." At the end of six months, instead of there being a shortage in
her accounts because of Abe's presence, she was able to show the
directors such a balance-sheet as excelled all her previous commendable
records.

"How do you explain it?" they asked her.

"We cast our bread on the waters," she answered, "an' Providence jest
kept a-handin' out the loaves." Again she said, "'T was grinnin' that
done it. Brother Abe he kept the gardener good-natured, an' the gardener
he jest grinned at the garden sass until it was ashamed not ter
flourish; an' Brother Abe kept the gals good-natured an'