"Safety is the word, says I, and as soon as you could say Jack Robinson, I explained the bisness, and next day Bill made an excuse to go to town and came home $1000 richer."
"That was the man you had in here about a year ago," said Mr.
Lawson, with an air of interest.
"The very one. Poor Bill! he had no notion of cheatin' the consarn, for he was hearty as a bear, but he took a cold in the woods, and gettin' bad treatment it turned to consumption, and he died in less than no time.
"Poor Jerushy took it dreadful hard, and the nabers was a wonderin' all the time how she could get along—for you know Mr. Lawson, that a farm ain't much good without a man or hired help. Wal, sir, what do you think—it was no more nor three or four days after the funeral that a letter came to inform the widder that she was to receive $1000 for her late husband's policy.
"Well, sir," exclaimed Moses, with a twinkle of the big blue eyes, "It was equal to a circus to see how the folks flocked from all parts to hear if the story was true, and I believe there was a good many of the wimin folks jealous of Jerushy's streak of luck."
The lawyer burst into a genuine and hearty laugh, then exclaimed, "Moses I am afraid that you are rather uncharitable towards the fair sex."
"Wal, now sir, because you've happened to fall heir to a terrible nice gal, you needn't think they're all angels, for they ain't by a long chalk."
Mr. Spriggins now made a stride towards the door.
"Bless me if it ain't later'n I thought. The goin' is terrible bad and Melindy will be kinder anxious, so good-bye," and the loquacious Moses made his exit in a style that might not, strictly speaking, be considered "good form."
But the postscript most be attended to in the form of a second appearance.