which may be vended in the street with chances of profit. Although "Aun'
Sheba," as she was familiarly called, had received no training for
mercantile pursuits, yet her native shrewdness had enabled her to hit upon
the principles of success, as may be discovered by the reader as the story
progresses. She had always been so emphatically the master of the house
and the head of the family, that her husband went by the name of "Uncle
Sheba." It must be admitted that the wife shared in the popular opinion of
her husband.

When in an amiable mood, which, happily, was her usual condition of mind,
she addressed him as "Unc.;" when some of his many short-comings exhausted
her good-nature--for Aun' Sheba had more good-nature than patience--he was
severely characterized as "Mr. Buggone." Since they had been brought up in
Major Burgoyne's family, they felt entitled to his surname, and by
evolution it had become "Buggone." Uncle Sheba's heart failed him when his
wife addressed him by this title, for he knew he was beyond the dead line
of safety. They dwelt alone in the cabin, their several children, with one
exception, having been scattered they knew not where. Adjacent was another
cabin, owned by a son-in-law, named Kern Watson, who had married their
youngest daughter years before, and he was the pride of Aun' Sheba's
heart. Uncle Sheba felt that he was not appreciated, or perhaps
appreciated too well, by his son-in-law, and their intercourse was rather
formal.

On the evening in question, supper was over, but the table had not yet
been cleared. Uncle Sheba was a good deal of an epicure, and, having left
not a scrap of what his wife had vouchsafed to him, was now enjoying his
corn-cob pipe. Aun' Sheba also liked a good square meal as much as any
one, and she had the additional satisfaction that she had earned it. At
this hour of the day she was usually very tired, and was accustomed to