338 WILD SPOETS IN THE SOUTH. 



in', half a prayin'; he seemed to be kind o' coniessin' to 

 the painter, for he rras goin' over Y>-hat a sinner he had 

 been, and talking about Daniel in the lion's den, and the 

 Bword of the Lord, and somethin' about Gideon, and 

 Samson and the young lion, and yer never did hear a 

 critter get out so much that was pious in so short a time. 

 I think if I wanted to convart a sinner I'd shut him up 

 with a painter, I would. 



" Just as he was sayin' somethin' about reposin' on the 

 l^rotectin' arm, the painter gave a jump for the hole in 

 the roof. 



*' Jehoshaphat ! what a jump! he got his fore claws 

 on to the shingles, but the shingles give way and down 

 he cum with a spiteful screech. "VYith that the pigs 

 rushed around in double quick time, and Eliakim, for- 

 getting his praying, hollered for me and Marthy to come 

 and help him. He was like the old woman who said she 

 trusted in Providence, when her horse run away with her, 

 till the britchen broke, and then she guv up. 



" Poor fellow, I felt for him ; every time the painter 

 moved, he and the lAgs moved too, and they were 

 hazed around that pig-pen in double quick time, for the 

 painter is a restless brute, and can't abide standin' 

 still. 



" Soon the old woman came back with the axe, and I 

 conimenced cuttin' the peg that held the chain. This 

 riled the painter, and he commenced runnin' round live- 

 lier than ever, and away went the pigs, gruntin' and 

 Bqueakin', and away went the Doctor, runnin' and 



