"Well, you're whistlin' now, birdie; that's my intention; set 'em all out " Again the elder's face shone with delight "An' I don't want no one-hoss bonnet neither "

" not Now one; pink silk, with delicate pale blue feathers Just the thing season nothing more elegant in stock " Elder Brown held it out, upside down, at arm's-length

"Well, now, that's suthin' like Will it soot sorter redheaded 'ooman ? "

perfectly sober man said the girl's corsets undergone terrible strain, but the elder notice her dumb convulsion She answered, heroically:

"Perfectly, sir an exquisite match "

" you're whistlin' again Nancy's head's red, red as woodpeck's Sorrel's only half-way color of her top-knot, an' it do seem like red oughter to soot red Nancy's red an' the hat's red; like goes with like, an' birds of feather flock together " The old man laughed until his cheeks were wet

The girl, beginning little uneasy, and seeing customer entering, rapidly fixed up the bonnet, took fifteen dollars out of twenty-dollar bill, and calmly asked the elder if anything else He thrust his change somewhere into his clothes, and beat retreat It had occurred to him that nearly drunk

Elder Brown's step began to lose its buoyancy himself utterly unable to walk straight an uncertain straddle gait that carried him from one side walk other, and caused people whom he met to cheerfully yield him plenty of room

Balaam saw him coming Poor Balaam He had made an early start that day, and for hours he stood sun awaiting relief When he opened his sleepy eyes and raised his expressive ears to position of attention, the old familiar coat and battered hat elder were before him He lifted up his honest voice and cried aloud for joy

The effect was electrical instant Elder Brown surveyed the beast with horror, but again understanding there rang out the trumpet words

"Drunk, drunk, drunk, drer-unc, -er-unc, -unc, -unc "

He stooped instinctively for missile to smite his accuser, but brought up suddenly with jerk and handful of sand Straightening himself up with majestic dignity, he extended his right hand impressively

"You're goldarn liar, Balaam, and, blast your old buttons, you kin walk home by yourself, for I'm danged sh'll ride me er step "

Surely Coriolanus never turned his back upon Rome with grander dignity than sat old man's form as he faced about and left the brute to survey with anxious eyes the new departure master

the elder zigzag along the street, and beheld him about friendly corner Once more he lifted up his mighty voice:

"Drunk, drunk, drunk, drer-unc, drer-unc, -erunc, -unc, -unc "

Once more the elder turned with lifted hand and shouted back:

"You're liar, Balaam, goldarn you ! You're er iffamous liar " Then he passed from view

III

Mrs Brown stood steps anxiously awaiting the return of her liege lord She knew he had large sum of money, or , and she knew also that man without business methods She had long since repented decision which sent him to town old battered hat and flour-covered coat loomed up gloaming and confronted her, she stared with terror The next instant she had seized him

" Lord sakes, Elder Brown, what ails you ? As I live, man ain't drunk ! Elder Brown ! Elder Brown ! life of me can't I make you hear ? You crazy old hypocrite ! you desavin' old sinner ! you black-hearted wretch ! where ben ? "

The elder made an effort to wave her off

"Woman," , with grand dignity, "you forgit yus-sef; shu know ware I've ben 'swell's Ben to town, wife, an' see yer wat I've brought--the fines' hat, ole woman, git Look't the color Like goes 'ith like; it's red an' you're red, an' it's dead match What yer mean ? Hey ! hole on ! ole woman ! --you ! Hannah ! --you " She literally shook him into silence

"You miserable wretch ! you low-down drunken sot ! what by coming home and insulting your wife ? " Hannah ceased shaking him from pure exhaustion

"Where , ? where ? "

she was turning his pockets wrong side out From one she got pills, from another change, from another packages

"The Lord be praised, and better luck than I hoped ! Oh, elder ! elder ! elder ! what did it for ? Why, man, where is Balaam ? "

Thought beast choked off the threatened hysterics

"Balaam ? Balaam ? " said the elder, groggily "He's in town The infernal ole fool 'sulted me, an' I lef' him to walk home "

His wife surveyed him Really moment she did think his mind was gone; but the leer old man's face enraged her beyond endurance

" , did you ? Well, now, I reckon you'll laugh for some cause, Back you go, sir--straight back; an' don't you come home 'thout that donkey, or you'll rue it, sure as my name is Hannah Brown Aleck ! --you Aleck-k-k ! "

black boy darted round the corner, from behind which, with several others, he had beheld the brief but stirring scene

"Put saddle on er mule The elder's gwine back to town And don't you be long neither "

"Yessum " Aleck's ivories gleamed darkness as he disappeared

Elder Brown was soberer moment than he for hours

"Hannah, you don't mean it ? "

"Yes, sir, Back you go to town as sure as my name is Hannah Brown "

The elder was silent He had never known his wife to relent on any occasion after she had affirmed her intention, supplemented with "as sure as my name is Hannah Brown " her way of swearing No affidavit had half the claim upon her simple enunciation

So back to town went Elder Brown, not order early morn, but silently, moodily, despairingly, surrounded by mental and actual gloom

The old man had turned last appealing glance angry woman, as he mounted with Aleck's assistance, and sat light that streamed from out the kitchen window She met the glance without waver

"She means it, as sure as my name is Elder Brown," , thickly Then he rode on

IV

that Elder Brown suffered long journey back to Macon would only mildly outline his experience His early morning's fall had begun itself felt sore and uncomfortable Besides, his stomach was empty, and called for two meals it had missed first time in years

When, sore and weary, the elder entered the city, the electric lights shone above it like jewels in crown The city slept; , the better portion of it did Here and there, however, the lower lights flashed out night Moodily the elder pursued his journey, and as he rode, far off night there rose and quivered plaintive cry Elder Brown smiled wearily: Balaam's appeal, and he recognized it The animal he rode also recognized it, and replied, until the silence city was destroyed The odd clamor and confusion drew from saloon near by group of noisy youngsters, who making night of it They surrounded Elder Brown as he began to transfer himself hungry beast to whose motion more accustomed, and "hail fellow well met" style day began to bandy jests upon his appearance Now Elder Brown was not in jesting humor Positively worst humor possible The result minutes passed the old man was swinging several crowd by their collars, and breaking the peace city policeman approached, and but good-humored party, upon whom the elder's pluck had made favorable impression, run the old man barracks The crowd, however, drew him laughingly saloon and bar The reaction was half-rallied senses He yielded again The reviving liquor passed his lips Gloom vanished He became boys

The company into which Elder Brown had fallen was known as "first-class " To such nothing is so captivating as an adventure common run of accidents The gaunt countryman, battered hat and claw-hammer coat, was prize of an extraordinary nature They drew him into rear room, whose gilded frames and polished tables betrayed the character and purpose place, and plied him with wine until ten thousand lights danced about him The fun increased One youngster made political speech top table; another impersonated Hamlet; and finally Elder Brown was lifted into chair, and sang camp-meeting song rendered by him with startling effect He stood upright, hat jauntily knocked to one side, coat tails ornamented with couple of show-bills, kindly pinned on by his admirers he waved the stub of cigar, and back was an admirable representation of Balaam's head, executed by some artist with billiard chalk

elder sang his favorite hymn, "I'm glad salvation's free," his stentorian voice awoke the echoes Most company rolled floor in convulsions of laughter

The exhibition came to close chair overturning Again Elder Brown fell into his beloved hat He arose and shouted: "Whoa, Balaam ! " Again he seized the nearest weapon, and sought satisfaction The young gentleman with political sentiments was knocked under the table, and Hamlet only escaped injury by beating the infuriated elder street

What next ? Well, I hardly know How the elder found Balaam is mystery yet: not that Balaam was hard , but old man was in no condition anything Still , and climbing laboriously saddle, he held on stupidly while the hungry beast struck out for home

V

Hannah Brown sleep that night Sleep come Hour after hour passed, and her wrath refused quelled She tried every conceivable method, but time hung heavily not quite peep of day, however, when she laid her well-worn family Bible aside It her mother's, and amid all the anxieties and tribulations incident life of woman who had free negroes and miserable husband to manage, it her mainstay and comfort She had frequently read it in anger, page after page, without knowing contained lines But eventually the words became intelligible and took meaning She wrested consolation by mere force of will

And so occasion when she closed the book the fierce anger was gone

She was not hard woman naturally Fate had brought her conditions which covered up the woman heart within her, but though it lay deep, there still As she sat with folded hands her eyes fell upon--what ?

The pink bonnet blue plume !

It may appear strange understand such natures, but her next action was perfectly natural She burst into convulsive laugh; then, seizing the queer object, bent her face upon it and sobbed hysterically storm was over, very tenderly she laid the gift aside, and bare-headed passed out night

For half-hour she stood end lane, and then hungry Balaam master hove in sight Reaching out her hand, she checked the beast

"William," said she, very gently, "where mule ? "

The elder asleep He woke and gazed upon her blankly

"What mule, Hannah ? "

"The mule you rode to town "

full minute the elder studied her face Then it burst lips:

"Well, bless me ! if I didn't bring Balaam and forgit the mule ! "

The woman laughed till her eyes ran water

"William," said she, "you're drunk "

"Hannah," said he, meekly, " it The truth is, Hannah, I--"

"Never mind, now, William," she said, gently " tired and hungry Come house, husband "

Leading Balaam, she disappeared down the lane; and when, later, Hannah Brown and her husband entered light that streamed open door her arms were around him, and her face upturned