been birds of very
temperate dispositions, so far as latitude was concerned.

"Mrs. Batterfield listened with great attention. She was engaged upon
some sewing on which her eyes were fixed, but her ears drank in every
word that Abner said. When he had finished, she laid down her sewing,
for it was beginning to get a little dark for even her sharp eyes, and
remarked: 'And he wants some warm clothes? Furs, I suppose?'

"'Yes,' said Abner; 'I expect they'd be furs.'

"'And travelling expenses?' she asked.

"'Yes; I suppose he'd want help in that way. Of course, since he's
makin' me such a big offer, he'll expect me to put in somethin'.'

"Mrs. Batterfield made no reply, but folded up her sewing and went
indoors. He waited until she had time to retire, then he closed the
house and went up himself.

"'She'll want to sleep on that,' said he; 'it'll be a good thing for her
to sleep on it. She mayn't like it at first, but I'll go at her ag'in
to-morrer, and I'm goin' to stick to it. I reckon it'll be the worst
rassle we ever had; but it's blackgum ag'in' thunder, and I'm
blackgum.'

"When Abner reached his chamber he found his wife sitting quietly by the
table, on which burned a lamp.

"'Hello!' said he. 'I thought you'd be abed and asleep!'

"'I didn't want to do my talkin' out front,' said she, 'for there might
be people passin' along the road. I think you said this was to be a case
of blackgum ag'in' thunder!'

"'Yes,' said Abner, in a somewhat uncertain tone.

"'Well, then,' said Mrs. Batterfield, 'I'm thunder.'

"It was very late when that couple went to bed, but it was very early
the next morning when Abner rose. He split a great deal of fire-wood
before breakfast, and very soon after that meal he put his hoe on his
shoulder and went to his corn-field. He remembered that there were three
rows of corn which he had hoed upon only one side.

"The library was not opened that day, and it remained closed until
Mr. Brownsill returned. The failure in the supply of books did not
occasion very much comment in the town, for everybody agreed that
Mr. Brownsill was a good man and ought to have a holiday. There were
four persons in the place--a little girl with plaited hair and a sister;
a colored woman with a bad tooth; and Joe Pearson--who knew that Abner
Batterfield had held, for a time, the office of librarian.

"When his vacation had expired, Mr. Brownsill came home, and on the
second morning after his arrival, Ab