his hands in his pockets, looked discontentedly at the ground, and
began: "You see, boys, old Parson Withholder had heard all these yarns
about Polly and thet trick-goat, and he kinder reckoned that she might
do for some one of his tablows. So he axed her if she'd mind standin'
with the goat and a tambourine for Jephthah's Daughter, at about the
time when old Jeph comes home, sailin' in and vowin' he'll kill the
first thing he sees,--jest as it is in the Bible story. Well, Polly
didn't like to say it wasn't HER that performed with the goat, but the
Pet, for thet would give the Pet dead away; so Polly agrees to come thar
with the goat and rehearse the tablow. Well, Polly's thar, a little
shy; and Billy,--you bet HE'S all there, and ready for the fun; but the
darned fool who plays Jephthah ain't worth shucks, and when HE comes
in he does nothin' but grin at Polly and seem skeert at the goat. This
makes old Withholder jest wild, and at last he goes on the platform
hisself to show them how the thing oughter be done. So he comes bustlin'
and prancin' in, and ketches sight o' Polly dancin' in with the goat to
welcome him; and then he clasps his hands--so--and drops on his knees,
and hangs down his head--so--and sez, 'Me chyld! me vow! Oh,
heavens!' But jest then Billy--who's gettin' rather tired o' all this
foolishness--kinder slues round on his hind legs, and ketches sight o'
the parson!" Jack paused a moment, and thrusting his hands still deeper
in his pockets, said lazily, "I don't know if you fellers have noticed
how much old Withholder looks like Billy?"
There was a rapid and impatient chorus of "Yes! yes!" and "Go on!"
"Well," continued Jack, "when Billy sees Withholder kneelin' thar
with his head down, he gives a kind o' joyous leap and claps his hoofs
together, ez much ez to say, 'I'm on in this scene,' drops his own head,
and jest lights out for the parson!"
"And butts him clean through the side scenes into the street,"
interrupted a delighted auditor.
But Jack's face never changed. "Ye think so?" he said gravely. "But
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