What possessed you to buy such a varmint as that ?' "'Grave digger!' said doleful Steve, 'what is that ?' "'Why,' sais he, 'they went one day to bury a man, down to Clare did the French, and when they got to the grave, who should be in it but the pony.

He couldn't see, and as he was a feedin' about, he tumbled in head over heels and they called him always arterwards 'the Grave-digger.'" "'Very simple people them French,' sais I, 'Elder; they don't know nothin' about hosses, do they?
Their priests keep them in ignorance on purpose.' "Steve winced and squinched his face properly; and said the glass in his hands hurt him.

Well, arter we sot all to rights, we began to jog on towards Digby.

The Elder didn't say much, he was as chop fallen as a wounded moose; at last, says he, 'I'll ship him to St.John, and sell him.

I'll put him on board of Captain Ned Leonard's vessel, as soon as I get to Digby.' Well, as I turned my head to answer him, and sot eyes on him agin, it most sot me a haw, hawin' a second time, he _did_ look so like Old Scratch.