"
"Yer father and mother done that."
"I've said as much to Maw, many's the time. 'Maw' I'd say, 'I ain't a
masterpiece--and I know it.' But las' Sunday night I was
_in_spired."
He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. Mintie frowned. With a shy
glance and heightened colour the man who had been inspired whispered
softly--
"It's entitled, 'To My Own Brown Bird.'"
"And who's your brown bird?" demanded Mintie sharply.
"As if you didn't know."
"Meanin' me?"
"Couldn't naturally be nobody else."
"I'm not yours; and as for bein' brown, why, my skin is white as
milk."
"I'll bet my life it is."
"As for bein' a bird, that ain't no compliment. Birds is first cousins
to snakes. Never knew that, did ye?"
"Never--s'elp me! Is that really so?"
Covered with mortification, he put the paper back into his pocket.
"Read it," commanded the young lady. "Let's get it over an' done with.
Then, mebbe, I'll help ye to rechristen the durned thing."
Emboldened by this gracious speech, Smoky began in a nasal, drawling
voice--
"I've wandered far--I've wandered wide----"
"Ananias!" said Mintie.
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