hout _L_4 2_s._
4-1/2_d._, railway fare extry."

"If that's the case I'd b-better p-p-pay you myself. Mr. Smith will
settle with me. Here's a f-f-five-pound note: that will pay your
b-b-bill and your f-fare, and leave something over for a b-bed in the
village if you can't get home to-night."

"Well now, that's handsome, be dazed if it hain't."

"Just receipt your bill, w-will you? By the b-bye, Mr. Smith didn't
pay you anything on account?"

"I won't tell a lie. He did. He give me a pound, but that don't come
in the reckonin'. Hay was _L_3, wood fifteen shillin', men's time
_L_1, beer two shillin', odds and ends five shillin', nails
four-pence, twine a ha'penny, makin' _L_5, 2_s._ 4-1/2_d._ I've a-took
off _L_1, leavin' _L_4 2_s_. 4-1/2_d._"

"Very well. Here's a s-stamp."

The farmer receipted the bill.

"Thank'ee, sir." He cleared his throat, "If I med make so bold, sir,
meanin' no offence--"

"What n-now?"

"Why, sir, speakin' in my simple common way, I never hears a body
stutter in his talk but I think of my brother Sam and how he cured
hisself. He was a terrible bad stutterer in his young days, he was,
nearly bustin' hisself tryin' to get it out, poor soul. But a clever
parson chap learned him how to cure hisself, and if I med make so
bold, I'll tell 'ee how 'twas done."

"I shall be d-delighted."

"Well, this parson chap--ah! he was a clever feller, everywhere except
in the pulpit--he said to my brother, 'Sam,' says he--he always talked
in that homely way--'Sam, poor feller, I'll tell 'ee what the bishop
told me when I stuttered so bad I couldn't say 'Dearly beloved
brethren' without bub--bub--bubbing awful. 'Say the bub--bub--bub
inside yerself,' says he, 'and then you can stutter as long as you
like without a soul knowin' it. My brother Sam thowt 'a med as well
give it a trial, and he did, and bless 'ee, in a week he could talk as
straightforward as the Prime Minister, and no one 'ud ever know what a
terrible lot of b's and m's and other plaguey letters he swallered.
Try it, sir; say 'Baby mustn't bother mummy' that way ten times every
morning afore breakfast, and 'Pepper-pots and mustard plasters' afore
goin' to bed, and I lay you'll get over it as quick as my brother
Sam. Good-night, sir and miss, and thank 'ee."

"Why _do_ you pretend so?" said Kate, laughing, when the door was
shut.

"My dear Kate, I have stuttered for pleasure and profit ever since I
discovered the efficacy of it at schoo