But _what_? "It wouldn't be right? Th' ain't no use," you say? An'
you'll _shore_ come back to-morrer? Well. But, by the way, doctor, did
you know to-day was Christmas? Of co'se I might've knew you did--but _I_
never. An' now it seems to me like Christmas, an' Fo'th o' July, an'
"Hail Columbia, happy lan'," all b'iled down into one big jubilee!

But tell me, doctor, confidential--sh!--step here a leetle further
back--tell me, don't you think he's to say a leetle bit undersized?
Speak out, ef he is.

Wh--how'd you say? "Mejum," eh? Thess mejum! An' they do come even
littler yet? An' you say mejum babies're thess ez liable to turn out
likely an' strong ez over-sizes, eh? Mh-hm! Well, I reckon you
_know_--an' maybe the less they have to contend with at the start the
better.

Oh, thanky, doctor! Don't be afeered o' wrenchin' my wris'! A thousand
thankies! Yo' word for it, he's a fine boy! An' you've inspected a good
many, an' of co'se you know--yas, yas! Shake ez hard ez you like--up an'
down--up an' down!

An' now I'll go git yo' horse--an' don't ride 'er too hard to-night,
'cause I've put a double po'tion of oats in her trough awhile ago. The
junior member he give instructions that everything on the place was to
have a' extry feed to-night--an' of co'se I went and obeyed orders.

Now--'fo' you start, doctor--I ain't got a thing stronger 'n raspberry
corjal in the house--but ef you'll drink a glass o' that with me? (Of
co'se he will!)