On Our Selection

s Sna

was dressed up ready to go over to Mrs. Anderson's to tea. Sometimes young Harrison had tea at Anderson's-

ent to the window; Little Bill and Tom peeped through a crack; Dave remained at his dinner; and Joe knavishly seized the opp

a paper from his breast-pocket, and reading, "Murt

dded a

any w

any tea left. She pulled a long, solemn, Sunday-school face, and looked at Jo

he chuckle

h while going out to the

any a

nk," s

the Law smiled at its own

hen his great presence of mind and ability as

omething else did n't break, and Dave kept the plough in, he ripped and tore along in style, bearing in and bearing out, and knocking the old horse about till that much-enduring animal became as cranky as himself, and the pace terrible. Down would go the plough-handles, and, with one tremendous pull on the reins, Dave would haul them back on to their

to be asked a question, and mostly answered by nodding his head. Yet, though he never seemed to practise, he could, when his blood

n left standing in the cultivation, he planted his left foot heavily upon a Bathurst-burr that had been cut and left lying. It clung to him. He hop

a fistful of grass and weeds which he had pulled from the nose of the

the fistful of grass.

" he stuttered; "y'-

Dave looked closely at his hand, which was all scratches and scars. He looked

bite y', Dav

glad to be the bearer of the news, and told Mother that "Dave's g

hall we do? Run quick," she said, "and b

on. He dropped his head and said sullen

a dinge on the back of his skull that will accomp

Why don't you ru

the air like a

answered, starting to cry. Then Sa

ked inside, and threw himself on the so

she sat down and tried to think what she could do. She thought of the very thing, and ran for the carving-knife,

dear life across the potato-paddock. Behind him was his man. Behind

Dave numerous questions as to how it happened, which Joe answered with promptitude and pride. Dav

he said, bending over Dave with a knife. Dave thrust out his arm violently

kin'," whispered

cious!" gro

athur," said

was a

Maloney. Joe thought it was

the sofa again

finger," he

time Dave sp

il do y' want? Clear

as a long silence. Dave co

spered Maloney, glancing ove

Don't let him!

muttered Mrs. Maloney,

firm hold of Dave and stood him upon his feet. He looked hard and contemptuously at Maloney for some

get away!-swearing and cursing Maloney for a cranky Irishman till he foamed at the mouth, all of which the other put down to snake-p

with a strap. How Dave ground his teeth and kicked and swor

of a bottle showing out of his pocket. In his hand was a piece of paper wrappe

at had befallen Dave. "Don' b'leevsh id-wuzhn't

veryone. "I never said I was BIT. No one said I was-only thos

d his jaw and

y? Did'n' I, eh, ol' wom'n!" Dad mumbl

er view of the matter. He p

answered, "'cuz he had the

sil

re shun'own,"

poke. "Bridgy!" he cried, "where's th'

bout. His head hung lower, and he muttered, "She

loneys

estion is more intolerable and irritating to him than another, it i