232 KaU Osborne. [May, 



are more accustomed to pitch-forks than pens ; so bring a little paper, 

 and set about it out here." AYith a glance at Mr. Quirk's comical 

 countenance, Kate withdrew to smother her laughter and to procure 

 writing materials. She soon returned, and with due legal gravity set 

 about her work. "What shall I write?" asked Kate. " Why, that 

 Mr. Dick Quirk, here, is to work for me on my farm, for four months » 

 at $12 a month — that's $48," said her father. " Good gracious, kurnel ! ' 

 exclaimed Quirk, springing from his chair, " couldn't yeou put in them 

 other tew dollars, and call it even fifty f say neow, come dew, kurnel, 

 come." Now the Col. cared nought for the two dollars; but calling to 

 mind Mr. Quirk's quibble in refusing to drive the horse out, he said, 

 " No, by zangs, I won't do it ; a bargain's a bargain, whether in writing 

 or by word o' mouth ; and since you are so precise upon the subject, I'll 

 be so too, and see how you'll like it." 



*' Wal, neow that's tew bad ! " groaned Quirk. So Kate wrote as by her 

 father directed, and asked if anything more remained to be written. 

 The Col. said he believed not. "Oh, stop neow, kurnel," .interposed 

 Quirk ; " yeou hain't got it in that we are to bamboozle each other, and 

 not get riled abeout it — ' a bargain's a bargain, kurnel, whether in 

 writin', or by word o' meouth.' " 



" Well, put it in, Kate," said the Col. rather scornfully ; for he was 

 not yet quite contented with the victory that Quirk had just accorded to 

 him in the matter of the ' boss in the wheat-patch.' 



" How shall I write it ? " asked Kate. 



" Why, put it in this way," prompted Quirk, " that each party is to 

 be allowed to bamboozle the other ad libitum,'^ " Add what ? " asked 

 the Farmer, with a slight frown. " Why, I larned that word in our singin' 

 books, when I used tew go tew singin ' school deown tew Bosting, and it 

 means, 'jist as you please;' so that when I used tew ask the 

 girls if I could see 'em safe hum, they used tew say, ' ad lihltumj' " 

 Then, turning to Kate, Quirk continued, yeou play on the pianer, Miss 

 Osborne, I presume ? " to which Kate, fearful of trusting her voice, 

 replied by a bow of assent : " Wal, then yeou can explain it tew the 

 kurnel ; and I rayther guess, kurnel, that an artickle won't stand in law 

 without it has some leetle latin in." Kate, by a hem — em, cleared her 

 throat of an awful titter, and said that such was about the meaning of 

 the phrase, in music; whereupon her father quite testily said, " well 

 then, put it in * add-lih-at-lnm.' " And so the contract was speedily 

 closed. 



As soon as signed, Dick Quirk said, " Wal, neow, kurnel, jist show 

 me where I am to put my bundle, and then I'm ready to go tew work." 



