fectly. Neither believed in witches. Both had pecuniary interests in the beliefs of other people just then. As his money had gone out, father wanted a little more light on the subject; but he did not get it. He sat in his saddle at the gate a few minutes, and then he said, in a rather commanding way:

"Hello, Snider-hello!"

Snider came to the door again, and father said:

"I just want to say, that if things do n't turn out all right, your hide won't hold shucks."

Snider, in a very solemn way, made a great salaam of a bow, and shut the door in his face again.

There was nothing for the sharp practice man to do, but to turn his horse and go home. But he was full of puzzled reflections. He thought of the Negro's remark, that "A white man is mighty onsartin." He could at least say there was something in the witch business. He had five dollars in it, and probably three hundred more. He had no doubt about that five dollars doing the work, unless there was a ten-dollar interest on the Dorkey side. Of that he could not be sure. Some things time alone will tell.

Snider went over to see Dorkey that after

noon.

He prognosticated around for more than two hours. He did a vast amount of mysterious maneuvering. He burned cobwebs in the fire, and noticed that they did not make a blaze. He lit a candle, and burned rosin in the flame, and noticed that the smoke went west in the room. He examined Dorkey's finger-nails, and then he began to look so serious, that the deluded man became alarmed, and began with his questions.

"How is it, Doc? How does she stand?" The great doctor hesitated, but finally said: "Bad enough; this is the worst case I ever saw. Do you want me now to be plain with you?"

"Well, I don't want any more torment. I have had enough of that from the witches."

"I might as well tell you. If my superior powers do not save a life when they may, then I am unworthy of my gifts. Dorkey, the witches have planned to kill you; and if you do not cross the Wabash within sixty days, you will not be alive. Your safety is in getting out of this combination. Beyond the Wabash you Mark my words, Dorkey;

will have peace. mark my words!"

The trade was closed, and the balance of the purchase money paid over, and Dorkey was

across the great waters in due time, and was never bothered with the witches any more.

Is it right to work sharp practice on a manto play on his credulity to honest? I do not know.

induce him to be That is an ethical

distinction too fine for me. I leave that to the ethical professors. I put down the facts, which, I presume, are of more interest to psychology than to moral science.

Inside knowledge of this little history, as it occurred, had, to me, the value of relieving my mind of all fears on the subject of witches. I could thenceforward enjoy Copenhaver, and sleep after his monstrous recitals.

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handy work.

Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge."

THE

-PSALM.

HE summer I was eight years old, we moved to the witch-farm. The money received for Hazelgreen place had been put into it, and there was quite a sum left to invest in stock. We learned shortly that the Great Northwest, which was then Wisconsin and Minnesota, was in need of stock cattle. The condition out there was that of a newly-settled country, without its first equipment of stock. We decided to buy and drive into that region. For making this trip we had additional reason that mother's health was breaking, and it needed recruiting by rest and travel, and outdoor life in summer. When our physician heard of the enterprise, he

said: "Go, by all means." From fall till spring found us busy in preparation for the expected trip, to be taken the next spring and summer. There was one covered wagon, with an ox-team to haul the heavier equipments for campingsuch as tents and provisions, and camp-stove and bedding, and the hundred smaller things necessary in a company of seven persons in all. The ox-team became the leaders of the herdthree hundred head in all. We also had a muleteam hitched to a spring-hack. This hack had double covers for mother's protection.

The day we started, I was made the owner of a little five-year-old yellow-roan horse, with a new bridle and a saddle and whip. Father

says:

"Rodney, he is yours, and you are to ride him to Minnesota, and drive cattle all the way."

We were then in an hour of turning into the road. I led my new possession to the fence and mounted, and was as proud a boy as ever held a rein. Up to this time I had never known anything like regular employment. I had worked a few whole days, and was, with all boys, impressed with the dignity of constant labor. Here was a thing in which I could do a man's work. So, with all the ecstasy of my first possession on me, I undertook my first great job. For three