th, Shorty?" he bubbled over.
"It's God's country for a fact. So different from old run-down,
rebel-ridden Tennessee. Look at the houses and the farms; look at the
people and the live-stock. Look at the towns and the churches. Look at
everything. Here's the country where people live. Down yonder's only
where they stay and raise Cain."

"Yes," admitted Shorty, who had not so much reason for being
enthusiastic; "but the Wisconsin boys say that Wisconsin's as much finer
than Injianny as Injianny's finer'n Tennessee. I'll take you up there
some day and show you."

"Don't believe a dumbed word of it," said Si, hot with State pride. "God
never made a finer country than Injianny. Wisconsin's nowhere."

Then he bethought himself of the many reasons he had for gladness in his
home-coming which his partner had not, and said thoughtfully:

"I wish, Shorty, you wuz goin' home, too, to your father and mother and
sisters, and--and best girl. But my father and mother'll be as glad to
see you as if you was their own son, and the girls'll make just as much
of you, and mebbe you'll find another girl there that's purtier and
better, and--"

"Stop right there, Si Klegg," said Shorty. "All girls is purty and nice
that is, them that is purty and nice, but some's purtier and nicer than
others. Then, agin, one's a hundred times purtier and nicer than any
o' them. I've no doubt that the girls out your way are much purtier and
nicer'n the general run o' girls, but none o' them kin hold a candle to
that girl up in Wisconsin, and I won't have you sayin' so."

"If we're on time," said Si, by way of changing the subject, "we'll
git to the station about sundown. The farm's about three miles from the
station, and we'll reach home after supper. Pap'll be settin' out on the
front porch, smokin', and readin' the Cincinnati Gazette, and mother'll
be settin' beside him knittin', and the girls'll be clearin' away the
supper things. My, won't they be surprised to see us! Won't there be a
time! And won't mother and the girls fly around to git us something to
eat! Won't they shake up that old cook-stove, and grind coffee, and
fry ham and eggs, and bake biscuits, and git us cool, sweet milk and
delicious butter from the old spring-house, and talk all the time!
Shorty, you never heard my sisters talk, especially when they're a
little excited. Gracious, they'll just talk the ears off both of us."

"Well, if they take after you, they are talkers from Talkvi