“What’s a medium?” says Tallow.
“Why,” says I, “you know what a medium is! Anybody knows. I wouldn’t let on I didn’t know what one was. Folks would think I didn’t know much.”
“Oh,” says he, “is that so? Well, if you’re so doggone wise, what is a medium? Jest tell me that. Jest say right out what one is, and what it does, and what wages it gits for doin’ it, if it’s so easy.”
“Well,” says I, “when you have roast beef, how do you like it?”
“Cooked,” says Binney.
“Well done or rare or what?” says I.
“Medium,” says Tallow.
“There,” says I. “You see.”
“I don’t see nothin’,” says he. “What’s roast beef got to do with spirits?”
“It hain’t the meat,” says I, “but the word. You said ‘medium,’ didn’t you? Well, that’s what we was talkin’ about.”