in Deacon Enos's mild
face with his little inquisitive gray eyes, and remarked, by way of
opening the subject, "Well, deacon, old 'Squire Jones is gone at last. I
wonder how much good all his land will do him now?"

"Yes," replied Deacon Enos, "it just shows how all these things are not
worth striving after. We brought nothing into the world, and it is
certain we can carry nothing out."

"Why, yes," replied Uncle Jaw, "that's all very right, deacon; but it
was strange how that old 'Squire Jones did hang on to things. Now, that
mill of his, that was always soaking off water into these medders of
mine--I took and tell'd 'Squire Jones just how it was, pretty nigh
twenty times, and yet he would keep it just so; and now he's dead and
gone, there is that old gal Silence is full as bad, and makes more
noise; and she and Suke have got the land; but, you see, I mean to work
it yet."

Here Uncle Jaw paused to see whether he had produced any sympathetic
excitement in Deacon Enos; but the old man sat without the least
emotion, quietly contemplating the top of the long kitchen shovel. Uncle
Jaw fidgeted in his chair, and changed his mode of attack for one more
direct. "I heard 'em tell, Deacon Enos, that the squire served you
something of an unhandy sort of trick about that 'ere lot of land."

Still Deacon Enos made no reply; but Uncle Jaw's perseverance was not so
to be put off, and he recommenced. "'Squire Abel, you see, he tell'd me
how the matter was, and he said he did not see as it could be mended;
but I took and tell'd him, ''Squire Abel,' says I, 'I'd bet pretty nigh
'most any thing, if Deacon Enos would tell the matter to me, that I
could find a hole for him to creep out at; for,' says I, 'I've seen
daylight through more twistical cases than that afore now.'"

Still Deacon Enos remained mute; and Uncle Jaw, after waiting a while,
recommenced with, "But, railly, deacon, I should like to hear the
particulars."

"I have made up my mind not to say any thing more about that business,"
said Deacon Enos, in a tone which, though mild, was so exceedingly
definite, that Uncle Jaw felt that the case was hopeless in that
quarter; he therefore betook himself to the statement of his own
grievances.

"Why, you see, deacon," he began, at the same time taking the tongs, and
picking up all the little brands, and disposing them in the middle of
the fire,--"you see, two days arter the funeral, (for I didn't railly
like to go any soon