“As a regular sure-nuff soldier!” I asked, still in doubt. “Ez a reg'lar sure-nuff soldier.” I considered for a moment. “Why, he's Jewish, ain't he, Judge?” I asked next. “So fur as my best information and belief go, he's practically exclusively all Jewish,” said Judge Priest with a little chuckle. “But I didn't think Jewish gentlemen ever did any fighting, Judge?” I imagine that bewilderment was in my tone, for my juvenile education was undergoing enlargement by leaps and bounds. “Didn't you?” he said. “Well, boy, you go to Sunday school, don't you?” “Oh, yes, sir--every Sunday--nearly.” “Well, didn't you ever hear tell at Sunday school of a little feller named David that taken a rock-sling and killed a big giant named Goliath?” “Yes, sir; but----” “Well, that there little feller David was a Jew.” “I know, sir; but--but that was so long ago!” “It was quite a spell back, and that's a fact,” agreed Judge Priest. “Even so, I reckin human nature continues to keep right on bein' human nature. You'll be findin' that out, son, when you git a little further along in years. They learnt you about Samson, too, didn't they--at that there Sunday school?” I am quite sure I must have shown enthusiasm along here. At that period Samson was, with me, a favourite character in history. By reason of his recorded performances he held rank in my estimation with Israel Putnam and General N. B. Forrest. “Aha!” continued the Judge. “Old Man Samson was right smart of a fighter, takin' one thing with another, wasn't he? Remember hearin' about that time when he taken the jawbone of an ass and killed up I don't know how many of them old Philistines?” “Oh, yes, sir. And then that other time when they cut off his hair short and put him in jail, and after it grew out again he pulled the temple right smack down and killed everybody!” “It strikes me I did hear somebody speakin' of that circumstance too. I expect it must have created a right smart talk round the neighbourhood.” I can hear the old Judge saying this, and I can see--across the years--the quizzical little wrinkles bunching at the corners of his eyes. He sat a minute looking down at me and smiling. “Samson was much of a man--and he was a Jew.” “Was he?” I was shocked in a new place. “That's jest exactly what he was. And there was a man oncet named Judas--not the Judas you've heared about, but a feller with the full name of Judas Maccabæus; and he was such a pert hand at fightin' they called him the Hammer of the Jews. Judgin' by whut I've been able to glean about him, his enemies felt jest as well satisfied ef they could hear, before the hostilities started, that Judas was laid up sick in bed somewheres. It taken considerable of a load off their minds, ez you might say.