did see sich ta'in' down an' buildin'
up in all yo' bo'n days."

'Lias went at the work with zest and Dokesbury noticed his skill with
tools. He let fall the remark: "Say, 'Lias, there's a school near here
where they teach carpentry; why don't you go and learn?"

"What I gwine to do with bein' a cyahpenter?"

"Repair some of these houses around Mt. Hope, if nothing more,"
Dokesbury responded, laughing; and there the matter rested.

The work prospered, and as the weeks went on, 'Lias's enterprise became
the town's talk. One of Aunt Caroline's patrons who had come with some
orders about work regarded the changed condition of affairs, and said,
"Why, Aunt Caroline, this doesn't look like the same place. I'll have to
buy some eggs from you; you keep your yard and hen-house so nice, it's
an advertisement for the eggs."

"Don't talk to me nothin' 'bout dat ya'd, Miss Lucy," Aunt Caroline had
retorted. "Dat 'long to 'Lias an' de preachah. Hit dey doin's. Dey done
mos' nigh drove me out wif dey cleanness. I ain't nevah seed no sich
ca'in' on in my life befo'. Why, my 'Lias done got right brigity an'
talk about bein' somep'n."

Dokesbury had retired from his partnership with the boy save in so far
as he acted as a general supervisor. His share had been sold to a friend
of 'Lias, Jim Hughes. The two seemed to have no other thought save of
raising, tending, and selling chickens.

Mt. Hope looked on and ceased to scoff. Money is a great dignifier, and
Jim and 'Lias were making money. There had been some sniffs when the
latter had hinged the front gate and whitewashed his mother's cabin, but
even that had been accepted now as a matter of course.

Dokesbury had done his work. He, too, looked on, and in some
satisfaction.

"Let the leaven work," he said, "and all Mt. Hope must rise."

It was one day, nearly a year later, that "old lady Hughes" dropped in
on Aunt Caroline for a chat.

"Well, I do say, Sis' Ca'line, dem two boys o' ourn done sot dis town on
fiah."

"What now, Sis' Lizy?"

"Why, evah sence 'Lias tuk it into his haid to be a cyahpenter an' Jim
'cided to go 'long an' lu'n to be a blacksmiff, some o' dese hyeah
othah young people's been trying to do somep'n'."

"All dey wanted was a staht."

"Well, now will you b'lieve me, dat no-'count Tom Johnson done opened a
fish sto', an' he has de boys an' men bring him dey fish all de time. He
gives 'em a little somep'n fu' dey ketch, den he go sell 'em to de wh