slapped his graver brother on the back,
made two or three flourishes round the room, and then seizing the old
deacon's hand, shook it violently, exclaiming,--

"All's right, deacon, all's right! Go it! go it! hurrah!"

When Uncle Jaw entered, the deacon, without preface, handed him a chair
and the papers, saying,--

"These papers are what you wanted to see. I just wish you would read
them over."

Uncle Jaw read them deliberately over. "Didn't I tell ye so, deacon? The
case is as clear as a bell: now ye will go to law, won't you?"

"Look here, Mr. Adams; now you have seen these papers, and heard what's
to be said, I'll make you an offer. Let your son marry Susan Jones, and
I'll burn these papers and say no more about it, and there won't be a
girl in the parish with a finer portion."

Uncle Jaw opened his eyes with amazement, and looked at the old man, his
mouth gradually expanding wider and wider, as if he hoped, in time, to
swallow the idea.

"Well, now, I swan!" at length he ejaculated.

"I mean just as I say," said the deacon.

"Why, that's the same as giving the gal five hundred dollars out of your
own pocket, and she ain't no relation neither."

"I know it," said the deacon; "but I have said I will do it."

"What upon 'arth for?" said Uncle Jaw.

"To make peace," said the deacon, "and to let you know that when I say
it is better to give up one's rights than to quarrel, I mean so. I am an
old man; my children are dead"--his voice faltered--"my treasures are
laid up in heaven; if I can make the children happy, why, I will. When I
thought I had lost the land, I made up my mind to lose it, and so I can
now."

Uncle Jaw looked fixedly on the old deacon, and said,--

"Well, deacon, I believe you. I vow, if you hain't got something ahead
in t'other world, I'd like to know who has--that's all; so, if Joe has
no objections, and I rather guess he won't have----"

"The short of the matter is," said the squire, "we'll have a wedding; so
come on;" and with that he threw open the parlor door, where stood Susan
and Joseph in a recess by the window, while Silence and the Rev. Mr.
Bissel were drawn up by the fire, and the deacon's lady was sweeping up
the hearth, as she had been doing ever since the party arrived.

Instantly Joseph took the hand of Susan, and led her to the middle of
the room; the merry squire seized the hand of Miss Silence, and placed
her as bridesmaid, and before any one knew what they were ab