“Why, how d’ye do, Edgefield,” he exclaimed in a boisterous tone, and with the drunkard’s slow stammering and stuttering. “It’s the first—first time—I’ve met ye—since you—you—er got back from the—er wars. How you make it—er now, ole feller, eh?”
“O, I am in good health,” said Ernest, dryly.
“Well, I’m—er truly glad to give you—er—er the right hand—er of—er welcome. Would you—er ’a known this ’er—er little ’oman—er of mine, at—er first sight, eh? She used ter—er—er be right down—er good lookin’—but—er the last year—er she’s—er begun—ter break—er little—yes—er you see, eh? Arn’t it so, Clarer, eh? You see—er the cruel war—er broke us up, like it did—er everybody else—er.”
“Yes,” said Ernest, more to relieve Clara of embarrassment than to keep up a conversation with a foolish inebriate, “the war proved disastrous to most of our people.”
“Indeed—er did it. I lost heavily—er—by it—myself—ruined—dead broke—er—brought down—er to—er abject pov—er—er—tee—er, as the—saying is—er. Cruel—thing—it was. I—er didn’t have—er—much to do—er—with it—you see—er,—eh? I was—er long-headed—I saw how the—er—thing—was agoin’, an’—er—I tried ter—save my scalp—eh? I told Clarer—there was’nt—any use—er—of my—goin’. She was a great—er—patriarch—you know—er-wanted—er ter eat Yankees—up—er. But—er I don’t—love that—er sort of—er flesh. It is—not—er—half as good—er—as fish. I went—a—fishin’—most of the time, and—er—we had a—jolly time—er—we did. It was—better—than shootin’ yer—feller—man in—er cold—blood. The Yankees—had—never done me—any harm,—an’ I could’nt make—up my mind ter—murder ’em—’thout provocation—you see, eh? But I hear—you’ve got to be—a preacher, eh?”
“Yes, sir,” answered Ernest in a manner which convinced Clara that the passing scene was painful to his feelings. She could easily perceive that he was enduring her maudlin husband for her sake.
“Well—er,” continued Comston, “it’s a—nice—er profession—, not—much—er money in it—though—eh? Like the ole Injun said—poor preach—poor pay—er. I don’t—er mean that for you—though—er. You—used ter be—er—a good law—yer, and—if—er you preach—as well as you—talk—I don’t see—why—er you shouldn’t succeed—er. I’m a-comin’ ’round to—er hear you preach—er—some Sunday—if you don’t object—eh?”
“I should be glad to have you as one of my audience,” replied Ernest.
“We’ll make two—er—of iz audience, won’t we, Clarer, eh?”
She made no reply, but endeavored to appear as though she had not heard him.