454 TENANTS OF AN OLD FARM. 



with his tin pan, knocking tlie larviB therein and bear- 

 ing away quantities to the kitchen door to become the 

 victims of boiling water, furnished b}' Sarah. 



By-the-way, the two old antagonists still continue 

 their intellectual sparring and chaffing, but withal 

 are very good friends. Many a tit-bit the cook saves 

 for the old man, and the warmest nook by the kitchen 

 stove is his. 



As Dan went about his daily work of slaughtering 

 Colorado beetles, he kept up a running series of ejacu- 

 lations, mingled vauutings, and mild imprecations. 

 Often he laughed softly as he slowly moved along 

 crooning and talking to himself. The warfare with 

 the bugs had raised his spirits, evoking the element of 

 combativeness, and inspiring him with new vigor. 

 But age is telling sorely on him, and rheumatism has 

 added to the weight of years to bow his back very 

 much. I leaned upon the fence and w'atched and 

 listened to him as he approached the end of a row of 

 plants. 



"Hi, den! Yo' jess go inter dat pan!" knocking 

 off a score of insects, in various stages of development. 

 " Plenty of compan}^ dar, now, but not much to eat, 

 hey ? Well, I'll git you sumpin to drink, bymeby I 

 Ho, ho, ho ! Tea V — no ! Tater soup ? — not much I 

 Yo' got too much ob dat aready. Hot water, sah I 

 Bilin' !— ho, ho ! So yo' thot Dan couldn't circumweut 

 tater bugs ? We'll see boout dat ! Bugs ?— hi ! I 

 knows a heap more'n yo' tink boout dcm^ I kin tell yo'. 

 I done gradcvvated long go. lleglar colledge larnt — ho. 



