Well, I looked at him a minit a sittin there with his head throwed back agin that apple tree, his legs stretched out, his boots a shinin with the fresh lard he had rubbed on them jist afore dinner, and his honest old face turned up toward me, and I says to myself, says I: “There sets one of God’s noblemen, injoyin the sleep of innercence.” And then I thought if I could only git him and his likes to understand that they are a part of this government, and that the government belongs to them and not to those only who are rich and high-toned—I say, I jist thought that if I could only git them to see that they had rights that ort to be respected and the power to inforce them rights, what a different country this might be. [Illustration: “He carried a banner.”] Thinking this and feelin the importance of my duty, I decided to begin to edicate him then and there. He has a habit of gittin up and leavin me when I begin to talk to him on things; so I made up my mind that I would fix him this time so he couldent git away, and would give him some plain talk on the money question. I got the rope I use as a clothes line, and, slippin up behind him, I wound it around and around him and the tree from his waist to his neck. He never flinched. Then I got the check lines from the barn, and, fastenin them to his feet, I tied one to one gate post and one to the other, and with the hitchin strap I tied his hands behind him. Then I got a straw and tickled his nose. You ort a seen him try to jump; but he couldent move. He opened his eyes and says to me, skeert like: “Betsy, what does all this mean?” I think he was afraid I was a goin to kill him, but, answerin, says I: “It means, Mr. Gaskins, that I propose to discuss the money question here without interference and without my audience a leavin before I git done, as is its usual custom.” Says he: “Betsy, wont you let me loose?” “Not till I git done,” says I. Says he: “Why, I cant sit here and listen to you for an hour?” “You cant?” says I. “But you will. You can spend all nite, and nite arter nite, a listenin to argaments in favor of continerin the laws that makes prices low and interest and taxes high—laws that keeps you poor and the polerticians rich—but you think you cant spend a hour listenin to a argament for a law that would make it easier for you to live; that would give you better prices and lower interest.” Then, puttin my hands on my hips and lookin, lovin like, down at him, says I: “Jobe, dear, I guess you will listen this time, and you wont leave till the speaker dismisses, will you?” Says he, half laffin, half cryin: “It looks that way, Betsy.” So I went and got me a chair, brought it out and sot down in front of him. When I got seated says he: “Betsy, is it Dimicrat or Republican argament that you want me to listen to?”