I thort Mr. John must be tearing up his paper, from the noyse of its russeling. I pressed up closer to the dure. “Claire, my deer” ses he, “I beg you think befure you spake. I’ve never handled a horse in me life. If you contimplate the purchase of a baste, you will have to hire a man to care for it. I draw” ses he “the lines at stable work.” “Very well” ses she, “_you_ can go walk the mile or 2 to the village after the mail.” “We’ll take turn about” ses Mr. John. “What!” shouts Mr. James, “and me wid my grass cutting!” “To orffset that” ses Miss Claire, “John can rayse our vigitables.” “My deer child—” began Mr. John “I know not the first thing of—er——” “You’re all just horrid.” ses Miss Claire and she pushed back her chare. “Very well then, I wash my hands of the hole affare.” “James” ses Mr. Wolley in sturn commanding toans, “You will cut the lons as intercated by your sister. John” ses he “I will expect you to rayse addecut vigitables for the table.” “Daddy” ses Miss Claire, “_you’ll_ go to the Post-Office wont you like an angel?” “Certainly my deer” ses he, “It will give me grate pleshure.” A silence followed here, and the auld gintleman must have bethort him of his hasty promise, for ses he: “We will kape a horse” ses he, “at a neerby livery stable.” Mr. James bust out larfing. “Whats my juties to be?” swately inquires Mrs. Wolley, trying to change the paneful subject. “Oh mamma” ses Miss Claire, “_you_ may care for the chickens.” “Let me see” ses Mrs. Wolley “Aren’t there such things as—er—lice—connected with chickens?” “Yes deer—but if you’ll kape the coop always witewashed” ses Miss Claire, “the lice’ll go.” Mrs. Wolley coffed unaisily. “And now _you_, miss?” shouts Mr. James, “what have you left for yourself to do?” “Theres a thousand and wan things, but as my cheef and spechul jooty outside of the hivvy housekaping wid the constant tack and diplomassy it intales to kape our unsertin Delia, I will undertake to—er—rayse sweet _flowers_ for the beutifying of our lons and house.” “Call _that_ work!” larfs Mr. James. “You inappreeshitive duffer” ses Mr. John in his gintlest voyce. “I vote that we adjoin.” “One moment” ses Mr. James. “What of Billy? Is he to be the sole mimber of this innergitick family to live in aise and lazy cumfut?” “No indeedy” ses Miss Claire. “Never! Tho but 6 yeers of age, hes old enuff to ern his daily bred. Willy” ses she “shall be our yuniversul caddy. His will be the tax of carrying water to the hungry thoorsty wans what toyle.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER X THE NEXT DAY