Old Bishop himself, sorting over some trace-chains behind
the counter, nodded grimly, and then smiled, his wintry face grown suddenly
tender.
"You've shore struck it, Newt," assented Joe Trimble. "You never kin tell
how ary one of 'em 'll ack under any succumstances."
Jack Carter and Sid Northcutt, the only bachelors present, grinned and
winked slyly at each other.
"You boys neenter to be so brash," drawled Mr. Pinson's son-in-law, Sam
Leggett, from his perch on a barrel of pecans; "jest you wait ontell Minty
Cullum an' Loo Slater gits a tight holt! Them gals is ez meek ez
lambs--now. But so was Mis' Pinson an' Mis' Trimble in their day an' time,
I reckon. I know Becky Leggett was."
"The studdies'-goin' woman on Jim-Ned," continued Mr. Pinson, ignoring
these interruptions, "is Mis' Cullum. An' yit, Tobe Cullum ain't no safeter
than anybody else--considerin' of Sissy Cullum ez a wife!"
Mr. Trimble opened his lips to speak, but shut them again hastily, looking
a little scared, and an awkward silence fell on the group.
For the shadow of Mrs. Cullum herself had advanced through the wide
door-way, and lay athwart the puncheon floor; and that lady, a large,
comfortable-looking, middle-aged person, with a motherly face and a kindly
smile, after a momentary survey of the scene before her, walked briskly in.
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