Surveying them with a blending of chirographic pride, orthographic doubt, and the bashful consciousness of a literary amateur, he traced each line with a forefinger inked to the second joint, and slowly read aloud as follows:-- "'Mr.Ford, Teacher.
"'DEAR SIR,--Yours of the 12th rec'd and contents noted.'" ("I did'nt," explained Uncle Ben parenthetically, "receive any letter of yours, but I thought I might heave in that beginning from copy for practice.

The rest is ME.") "'In refference to my having munney,"' continued Uncle Ben reading and pointing each word as he read, "'and being able to buy Ditch Stocks an' Land'"-- "One moment," said Mr.Ford interrupting, "I thought you were going to leave out copy.

Come to what you have to say." "But I HEV--this is all real now.

Hold on and you'll see," said Uncle Ben.

He resumed with triumphant emphasis:-- "'When it were gin'rally allowed that I haddent a red cent, I want to explain to you Mister Ford for the first time a secret.