nin' after standin' all night, the
hoss I let him have will show his true worth. He's got a spavin, as you
know, an' when he leads him out of the stable a j'int in his right
leg'll pop like a pipe stem broke."

"Now Jasper Starbuck, is it possible that you put off that spavined hoss
on Brother Fetterson? You ought to be ashamed of yo'se'f. Ain't you got
no respect at all for the gospel?"

"Wall, not so powerful much respect for a gospel that always wants to
ride a fine hoss at another's expense. Jest thought I'd l'arn him a
lesson. Come out an' let's look at my new hoss."

They went out to the stable, and when Jasper attempted to lead forth the
horse, the animal cringed and held back, and in his eye there was an
expression of pain, for in truth he was so badly spavined that he had to
hobble on three legs.

"Ah, hah, that's what you git for tryin' to cheat the gospel," said
Margaret. "And you ought to be ashamed of yo'se'f, an' he a preacher at
that--preached the loveliest funeral sermon over old Aunt Polly Myer I
ever heard in my life."

For a time old Jasper was silent. His wife asked him what he intended to
do. "Wall," said he, "believe I'll knock this critter in the head, skin
him, take a hindquarter over to that preacher's house and make him eat
it raw."

"You'll do nothin' of the sort, an' yo' daughter jest married, too. I'm
sorry, Jasper, that I said what I did a while ago. Yes, Lou is
lucky--almost as lucky, Jasper, as I was when you asked me to be yo'
wife."

"I'd ruther you'd scold me than to talk thatter way, Margaret. You know
I can't stand it, an' please don't. Helloa, who's this a comin'?"

It was the post-master, who, ripping open many a man's letter could read
it off just like print. He shook hands with Jasper and Margaret and said
that he had several letters for the young fellow and the good-looking
woman from away off. When Jasper gave him an account of the wedding and
told him that the brides and the bridegrooms were gone, he said: "Wall,
we jest as wall open the letters an' see if we kin find out what's in
'em."

Margaret fluttered at him. "You'll do nothin' of the sort. Jest leave
'em with me and I'll see that they air give over all right."

"Wall, ma'm, no harm did," he said handing her the letters; and then to
Jasper he said: "Brother Fetterson come a ridin' by my house late
yistidy an' wanted to swop hosses with me. Had a five year old that I
raised myse'f, a little under size but as