They never noticed the wink, and their feet didn’t feel the crunch of his boot toe—no, I bore it in silence and alone. For how could they see the tall mountain peaks of ambition that loomed up in front of that peaceful, bald-headed man—precipitous mounts that he wuz in fancy scalin’, with the eyes of a admirin’ world lookin’ up to him? No; how little can them a settin’ with us round the same table see the scenes that is passin’ before the mental vision of each. No, they can’t do it; the human breast hain’t made with a winder in it, or even a swing door. No; I alone knew what wuz a passin’ and a goin’ on in that beloved breast. To me, as he always had, he revealed the high bubbles he wuz a throwin’ up over his head, and had always throwed ever and anon, and even oftener, bubbles wrought out of the foamin’ suds of hope and ambition, and propelled upwards out of the long-stailed pipe of his fancy, floated by the gusty wind of his vain efforts. And it wuz to me he turned for comfort and solace when them bubbles bust over his head in a damp drizzle (metafor). But to resoom and continue on. He talked, and he talked, and he talked; he said he wuz bound to start for Washington, D. C. Sez I, “Are you crazy?” Sez he, “It hain’t no further from here than it is from Jonesville, and I am needed there.” Sez he, “I am goin’ there to offer my services as a International Delegate, as a Delegate Extraordinary,” sez he. And I sez, “I should think as much; I should think you would be a extraordinary one.” “Wall,” sez he, “in national crysisses they have delegates by that name—I have read of ’em.” [Illustration: “THE BUTTER-MAKER UP IN ZOAR.” ] “Wall,” sez I, “they couldn’t find a more extraordinary one than you are if they combed the hull country over with a rubber comb.” Wall, the upshot of the matter wuz that I had to call in the help of Thomas Jefferson. I knew he wuz all in the family and would hush it up, jest as much as I would. He interfered jest as his father wuz a packin’ his portmanty to start for Washington, D. C., to offer his services as a extraordinary delegate, and set up as a Pan American. Thomas J. argued with his Pa for more than a hour. He brung up papers to convince him he wuz in the wrong on’t. He argued deep, and bein’ a lawyer by perfession, he knew how to talk rapid and fluent. And finally, after a long time, by our two united efforts, we quelled him down, and he onpacked his shirt and nightcap from his portmanty and settled down agin into a private citizen. And owin’ to Thomas J.’s efforts and mine, undertook at once by letter (for we feared the effects of delay), we sold the most of them pans at a good price to the butter-maker up in Zoar, and a letter wuz writ to Ury and Philury to deliver ’em. So, some good come out of the evil of my skair and my pardner’s skeme. [Illustration: “JOSIAH GIVE UP.” ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------