“She kin h’ist one foot an’ go like Ned! 
  An’ hop on top o’ my mother’s bed,
  An’ back an’ round the house she’ll go,
  ‘Ith her ol’ knee as limber as a hickory bow,
        Yes, sir!

 “She kin sing a hull song ‘ithout ketchin’ her breath,
  An’ make up a face ’at ’ud scare ye to death! 
  She kin wiggle her ears an’ cross her eyes
  An’ stick out her tongue till yer hair ’ud rise. 
        Yes, sir!

 “An’ play wildcat on her han’s an’ knees,
  Honest!  ’T would give ye the gibberees! 
  An’ she sneaks along an’ jumps at you
  An’ gives sech a yell!—­my sister Sue! 
        Yes, sir!

 “She kin shoot off a gun an’ set a trap,
  An’ if you don’t behave she kin give you a slap
  She kin holler and scream like a flock o’ geese
  An’ stan’ on her head an’ speak a piece. 
        Yes, sir!

 “She kin run cross legged an’ ride a cow,
  An’ jump from the beam to the big hay mow. 
  I reckon yer hair ‘ud stan’ up to see ’er
  A breakin’ a colt er throwin’ a steer,
        Yes, sir!

 “My sister Susan has got a beau. 
  When he comes she sets an’ acts jes’ so,
  An’ talks so proper—­it’s zac’ly jes
  Like the flummididles on her dress,
        Yes, sir!

 “When she stan’s in that darn ol’ Sunday gown
  Ye’d think a grasshopper could knock ’er down. 
  An’ she laughs kind o’ sick—­like a kitten’s mew—­
  Ye wouldn’t think ’twas my sister Sue,
        No, sir!

 “An’ she says:  ’Oh, dear! those horrid boys! 
  They act so rough an’ make sech a noise!’
  Good gracious! ye wouldn’t think ’at she
  Could talk as loud as a bumble bee—­
        No, sirs

 “Honest!  Er lift a chip o’ wood,
  She acts so puny an’ nice an’ good! 
  ‘Boys are awful!’ she says, ’till they’re grown,
  Er nelse they got to be yer own!’
        Oh, gosh!”

This raised a storm of merriment, after which he recited the poem of Burns, with keen appreciation of its quality.  Samson repeatedly writes of his gift for interpretation, especially of the comic, and now and then lays particular stress on his power of mimicry.

John Cameron sang The Sword of Bunker Hill and Forty Years Ago, Tom.  Samson played while the older people danced until midnight.  Then, after noisy farewells, men, women and children started in the moonlit road toward the village.  Ann Rutledge had Abe on one arm and John McNeil on the other.

CHAPTER VI

WHICH DESCRIBES THE LONELY LIFE IN A PRAIRIE CABIN AND STIRRING ADVENTURE ON THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD ABOUT THE TIME IT BEGAN OPERATIONS.