"I b'lieve them critters 'd like ter see me wait 'til June fer plaoughin'." The ill-matched pair came to a standstill, and so listless was their bearing, that one would say that having decided to halt, nothing would induce them to again draw the plough. "There, ye can rest naow, fer a spell, 'til ye git yer wind, an' then I'll set ye at it agin." One of the horses snorted derisively, but Jabez Brimblecom cared little for that. He drew from his hip pocket a large envelope, and opening the letter which it contained, adjusted his spectacles and laboriously read it for the third time. "Wal, all I got ter say 'baout it is, that it's pooty full er big words, an' flourishes, but biled daown, it 'maounts ter jist this; Sabriny's sot her mind on makin' us an' everlastin' long visit. I shan't hev ter stand much on't, however; I'll be aout doors most of the time, when I _have_ ter, an' I vum I'll be aout all the rest of the time because I _choose_ ter. "Sabriny's a team, an' so's Mis' Brimblecom. They never did pull together. Not but that they _pull_ 'nough, only it's allus the opposite ways. I don't stay in doors much arter she arrives! No, Siree! "G'lang there! G'lang I say! "Well, fust ye won't stop, an' then ye won't budge! I vaow I never see a pair er critters like ye, 'cept my wife an' cousin Sabriny!" When at last the pair concluded to move, they started forward with a most surprising lurch, and Jabez Brimblecom found his hands full in guiding the plough, and the two horses who, having decided to bestir themselves, tramped diligently back and forth, leaving the long rows of furrowed earth as evidence of their willingness to work when their ambition was aroused. Again they stopped to rest and again Mr. Brimblecom fumbled in his pocket for the envelope, but he did not take it out. "Why didn't she write the letter 'stead er gittin' that husband er hern ter write fer her? I'd 'nough rather she'd told Mis' Brimblecom she wuz comin', 'stead er leavin' me ter tell her. She'll be mad's a hornet, an' I vaow I won't blame her. "G'lang there! Wal, I'll be switched if she isn't comin' daown ter the bars naow. Wonder what's up?" "Jabez! Jabez! _Ja--bez!_" "All right, I'll be there," was the answer, but in an aside he remarked apparently to the horses, "'F I git my courage up, I'll tell her 'baout Sabriny naow and be done with it;" but his bravery was not put to the test. Before he could reach the bars where his wife stood waiting, she cried out vehemently, "Jabez Brimblecom, what do ye think? Mis' Hodgkins used ter know yer cousin Sabriny when they both wuz girls, an' she says she's jest got a letter a sayin' that Sabriny's comin' here ter make er long visit. She's goin' ter spend two weeks with Mis' Hodgkins, an' all the rest er the summer with us. Jabez, I'd rather heerd of er cyclone a hittin' us, fer ye well know that there'll be no peace 'til she packs an' starts fer home." "I know it, I know it," Jabez answered, with feeling.