, and
the peddler druv up front of old Jinnie and went to git her, so as to
tie her behind his waggin. She didn't stop to be led. Down went her head
agin and she made for the peddler. He got the other side of his team
jist as old Jinnie druv her horns 'tween the spokes of the forrard
wheel. Down come the pots, and pans, and kittles, in ev'ry direction. A
clotheshorse fell on the horse's back and off he started on a dead run,
and that wuz the end of poor Jinnie. Before she could pull back her
horns, round went the wheel and broke her neck. The peddler pulled up
his horse and went back to see old Bill, who was climbin' down from the
apple tree. 'What am I goin' to do about this?' said the peddler. 'I wuz
countin' on drivin' her over to the next town and sellin' her or tradin'
her off, but I hain't got no use for fresh beef.' 'Wall,' said old Bill,
'considering circumstances we'll call the trade off. You kin keep your
stuff and I'll keep my beef.' The peddler loaded up and druv off. Then
old Bill went in and pulled Lizzie out from behind the pianner, and put up
the steps so Mrs. Tompkins could come down from the corn barn, and
fished Tommy out of the pig-sty, and threw a bucket of water over him,
and put up the ladder so George could git down from the haymow, and they
all got round poor old Jinnie and stood as hard as they could and
laughed." Here Professor Strout pushed back his chair and rose to his
feet. "That's how old Bill Tompkins got his beef."

There was a general laugh and a pushing back of chairs, and the whole
company arose and went in various directions to their afternoon work.
Professor Strout went into the front entry, for he always entered and
left the house by the front door. Quincy followed him, and closing the
door that led into the dining-room, said, "Mr. Strout, I would like to
see you in my room for half an hour on important business."

"I guess 'tain't as important as some business of my own I've got to
attend to this arternoon. I'm goin' over to the Centre to fix up my
accounts as tax collector with the town treasurer."

"I think my business is fully as important as that," said Quincy, "it
relates to your appointment as postmaster."

"Oh, you've got a hand in that, have yer?" asked Strout, an angry flush
suffusing his face.

"I have both hands in it," replied Quincy imperturbably, "and it rests
with you entirely whether I keep hold or let go."

"Wall," said Strout, looking at his watch, "I kin