IMPROVEMENT IN THE WEATHER. 197 



time in every pocket, so as to be handy, it was some 

 minutes before I could find one. 



' When I got back the gun was not wanted : the 

 old man had killed the painter with the axe, although 

 it was a terrible risky thing to do. You see, he got 

 kind of riled at seeing his calves abused ; so he jist 

 stepped up to the thief, and, as he was about to 

 spring on the old man, dad let him have the blade 

 fair in the face. The old fellow was one of the 

 smartest choppers that lived in them parts. He 

 could put up four cords of wood in a day, so you 

 may guess he knew how to handle an axe/ 



Many of the pipes having gone out before this 

 yarn was finished, perhaps if several of the sup- 

 posed listeners had been invited to express their 

 satisfaction with it, they would have been found 

 asleep ; but, as in more fashionable circles, they did 

 not wish their inattention to be known. 



The next day there was a great improvement in 

 the weather. It was a day to break the back-bone 

 of the late trying storms. From feeling indolent, in 

 consequence of an evident disposition to an attack of 

 fever and ague, I remained in camp, and drenched 

 myself with tea made from the bark of the wild 

 plum, which, in the absence of quinine, is the best 

 substitute for that useful article these wilds produce. 

 That evening Soule came over when I was having 

 supper. Although his manner was slightly improved, 

 I cannot say he had advanced in my estimation. 

 The cause of his visit was a desire to buy, or obtain 



