Sketches By M. Quad

In front of a mcrantaineer S cabin on f!i; crcst of tho Cmnberland I foniid teven or oight peopie assembled, aml I asked of a young man if a funeral was held. "Yes. suthin like a funeral, " he replied as he looked over bis shoulder tt the oabin door. "Grown person or child?" "Grown up to be 80 years oíd, sah. Yo' seo, v.-hile it's suthin like a funeral. nobody's dead. It's my ole pop gittin ruarried to a woman in thar, and he's over 80 years oíd." At that moment tho oíd man appeared in the door and called for Sara to come in and witness the cerernony. "Say, pop, yo'r 80 years ole," said Sam. "Yes; reckon I am. " "And yo' can't half see nor h'ar. " "Waal, mebbe I can't." "Yo' ar' jest busted all to smash as a critter, and the idea of yo' gittin married is 'nuff to rip the fur off a coon. Durn yo', pop, what d'ye want to go and make a fule of yourself fur?" ' ' Sam, ' ' said the father as he laid a hand on his shoulder, ' 'yo'vo lived with yo'r ole jtop fur üigh npon 30 y'ars. Was he aliña sot or triflin?" "Sot, I reckon. v' "Whenhe said a thing, was he that sot he'd stick to it if it broke a leg, or did he change his núnd and' whiffle about?" "Yo' was allus sot, pop, but pester yo'r pictur' if I ever believed yo'd go and do this!" "I said I would, and Pm goin to.It's no time to npset my sotness at my aige. Cum in, Sam, and see me j'ined. " 'Til never do it, pop." "Nayburs, will yo' cum in?" All declined, and whcii he turned to me I said I was in a hurry. He was ubout to turn away wheu Sam made a ast appeal: "Pop, will yo' git over yo'rsctncss?" "Can't do it, Sam, can't possibly do it. The widder and the preacher is waitiu, and I shall be j'iued. Mebbe I shoultl not be sot, but when one has bin sot fur 60 y'ars ho can't" - At that moment one of the men bronght up a mulé that had been hidden behind the corncrib, and a second one took hold with Sam and liftcd the oíd man upo'n the animal 's back. He was speedily made fast with a ropo, and then away went the little crowd, the oíd man yelling and kicking and the others raising a cheer. The preacher and the woman carne out to look, and when they realized what had happenea the former said: "Shoo! They'veduncarriedhimoff!" And the widow added: "Shoo! Sotheyhev! Stranger, mebbo yo' ar' up on these yere mountings lookin fur a wife? If so, cum in and hev a smoke and a talk. ' ' He Took Chances. Along in the afternoon a stranger, mounted on a very fine horse, carne out of a crossrond and joined me. "Any particular excitement down at Hopowell?" he asked. "Not inuch. I believe that a horse had been stolen and bands of men were going out iu different directions to seareh. ' ' "Didyouhear the horse described?" "Why, yes. Let's see. He was a big black horsie with a white uose, two white feet and - Say, your horse answers the exact description!" "Does he? Well, he ought to - he's the stolen norse! "You don't mean to say!" "Yes, he ia, and I'np the man who stole him. Splendid beast, isn't he?" "But I - I don't onderstand?" I persisted, feeling quite sure the stranger was guying me. "Don 't you?" he laughingly replied. "Well, this is the horse, and I stole him, and I can't rnake it any plainer. I'm in the business, you see. ' ' "But you will be pursued. " "Very likely. " ' ' And you kuow that means lianging in this country?" "Yes; if they catch me, they '11 hang me." "I don't see how you dare do it. " "No? Well, it's my trade, yon know, andl take the chances. Excuse me, but do you see horsemeu back there?" "I do. There are half a dozen, and they are coming for you. " "I presumo so. Well, so long. I must keep ahead of the game, you know." Thrce miles away the black horse picked up a stone and went dead lame, and his rider was captured. He was all ready to hang as we cantered up. I thought to flnd him half scared to dcath and begging for his Ufe; but, on the contrary, he greeted me with a smilo and said: "I toldyou I had to take chances, and this time it seemsl'velost. Gentlemen, the audience has now assembled, aud the curtain can go ip on the play. "