Wa'al, it happened that standin' mixed up in that lot was a feller named--we'll call him Smith, to be sure of him--an' Smith was jest runnin' over with power, an' ev'ry little while when somethin' the speaker said touched him on the funny bone he'd out with an "A--men! _Yes_, Lord!" in a voice like a fact'ry whistle.

Wa'al, after a little the' was some snickerin' an' gigglin' an' scroughin' an' hustlin' in the back part, an' even some of the serioustest up in front would kind o' smile, an' the moderator leaned over an' says to one of the bretherin on the platform, "Brother Jones," he says, "can't you git down to the back of the hall an' say somethin' to quiet Brother Smith?
Smith's a good man, an' a pious man," the moderator says, "but he's very excitable, an' I'm 'fraid he'll git the boys to goin' back there an' disturb the meetin'." So Jones he worked his way back to where Smith was, an' the moderator watched him go up to Smith and jest speak to him 'bout ten seconds; an' after that Smith never peeped once.

After the meetin' was over, the moderator says to Jones, "Brother Jones," he says, "what did you say to Brother Smith to-night that shut him up so quick ?" "I ast him fer a dollar for For'n Missions," says Brother Jones, 'an', wa'al,' I says to Tenaker, 'that's what I done to Staples.'" "Did Mr.Tenaker see the point ?" asked John, laughing.
"He laughed a little," said David, "but didn't quite ketch on till I told him about the subscription paper, an' then he like to split." "Suppose Staples had taken you up," suggested John.
"Wa'al," said David, "I didn't think I was takin' many chances.

If, in the fust place, I hadn't knowed Staples as well 's I did, the Smith fam'ly, so fur 's my experience goes, has got more members 'n any other fam'ly on top of the earth." At this point a boy brought in a telegram.
David opened it, gave a side glance at his companion, and, taking out his pocketbook, put the dispatch therein..