Naturally the horse and buggy fell to
the ground. I put my buffalo robes back into the buggy, rode to the
court house, had my papers recorded, and then drove back ten miles to
town, none the worse for my adventure, but the stableman charged me
fifty cents for the strap that I was obliged to leave on the church
spire."
A number of low whistles, intermixed with several "whews!" were heard,
as Quincy finished his story.
"Wall, by thunder!" ejaculated Stiles, "how do yer account for--"
"I think it must have been a sudden thaw," remarked Quincy, with a grave
face.
"One thing puzzles me," said the Professor.
"What is that?" asked Quincy politely, "perhaps I can explain."
"Before you left the church," asked the Professor, "why didn't you reach
up and ontie that strap?"
Another loud shout of laughter broke from the company, and Quincy,
realizing that the Professor had beaten him fairly by putting a point on
his own story, joined heartily in the laugh at his own expense.
"That reminds me," said Abner Stiles, "of an adventure that I had
several years ago, down in Maine, when I wuz younger and spryer'n I am
now.
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