"
Jasper gave him the cup, raised the jug and said: "Shout when you've got
enough."
Instantly Laz became animated, but without a change of countenance:
"Say, ricolleck that feller lived over our way, had a white hoss--one
day come along and--" The cup ran over.
"You ain't very good at shoutin', air you?"
"Whoa," said Laz.
Jasper tilted the jug to his own lips and Laz drained the cup. Starbuck
made a motion with the jug toward Margaret and she shook her head with a
shudder.
"Tastes like the milk of human kindness," said Laz, and Jasper replied:
"Yes, till you git too much an' then it's like the juice b'iled outen
the hoof of old Satan. Say," he added, as he put the jug in its
accustomed place, "have you hearn the new preacher over at Ebenezer?"
"Went over to hear," Laz replied, "but a passel of us fellers got to
swoppin' saddles down at the spring an' didn't. They say Jim Starbuck
kin preach all round him."
"Bet Jim kin whup him," said Jasper.
"Now, Jasper," his wife spoke up, "why do you allus want to talk about
fightin', an' among preachers at that?"
"I ain't allus doin' that, Margaret.
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