"I jess ez leeve go 's not," said Jabez Flint, the Tory, "only they
wouldn' hev nothin tew say ter me ez wuz a Tory."
"Ef I were ten year younger, I'd go in a minute," said Israel
Goodrich, "but my jints is kinder stiff. Abner, thar, he'd orter go,
by rights."
"Why don' ye go, Abner? Ye ain't scairt o' speakin tew Squire, be ye!"
said Peleg.
"I ain't scairt o' no man, and ye know it's well's ye wanter know. I'd
go in a jiffey, only bein a young man, I don' like tew put myself
forrard tew speak for them as is older."
"Why don' ye go yerself, Peleg, if ye be so dretful brave!" inquired
Israel Goodrich.
"That's so, Peleg, why don' ye go?"
"I ain't no talker," said Peleg. "Ther's Ezry, he'd orter go, he's
sech a good talker."
But Ezra swallowed the bait without taking the hook. "Tain't talkin ez
is wanted, it's assin. Any on ye kin dew that's well's I," he
discriminated.
The spirit of mutual deference was so strong that it is doubtful how
long the contest of modesty might have continued, had not Laban Jones
suddenly said:
"Ef none on ye dasn't ass what the convenshin has did, I'll ass
myself. I'm more scairt o' my hungry babbies an I be o' the face o'
any man.
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