The Real Hard Sell

an Eden of his own designing for the ostensible excuse of business convenience,

an one's own stubbornness, turned

Island took nearly two days, although

sion. Host and hostess met their guests at the river landing with carriages and cane wagons gaily bedecked with evergreens, mosses, and dogwood b

rvard crimson, stood uncovered in line at the bayou's edge, and as

ds. He bobs up so unexpectedly in strange places balancing his tiny tray upon his hand, that a guest soon begins to lo

w in the west, and narrow search-lights, piercing the wood for a brief moment, revealed a great wonder-world of dank growths so fairly alive with creeping, flying, darting things-

r, however, each pilot who manipulated the rudder astern had dr

efer to them, and between flowering banks which seemed sometimes almost to meet in the floating

ould pierce the wood, spending itself in laughter. A lazy alligator, sleepily enjoying a lily-pool, might have

ood whose darkness they failed to dispel; and once or twice two reflected lights a few inches apart, sug

themselves, and objects dimly discerned to become f

ly thrown in, then another in the next boat, until all the untutored Harvard oarsmen were bravely singing and the di

cited by the unusual noise, poured forth a rival disputatious song, and an owl hooted, and

evils and hobgoblins, selected according to the will of the leader-all excepting the openi

Sun Swings Low," and

er Swaller when d

m swoop

dippin', like he d

in' ev

s sort o

ttles mig

urries for

sun sw

oud a-risin' when

ef it

y muskitties, 'bout a

in' up de

s a migh

ies to sin

itties' so

sun sw

l conversin' when

beast a

together in de la

its rise

tmares

ll-o'-wis

moonligh

sun swi

teristic of them all perh

vil took a wa

ve she's a-

' Adam, she was st

ve she's a-

ig-time, so my la

ve she's a-

t de sunlight, as she

ve she's a-

ringlets down an' 'low

e, she's a-w

ome quoilin'-ever

ve she's a-

solemn, staccato m

Adam! Ole

le up an' give h

eedy-gut, whar

m, man, whar

Adam! Ole

n 'is neck an' ma

'chillen has to sw

m, man, whar

Adam! Ole

attitudes an' comp

principle of an

m, man, whar

st boat, doubling a jutting clump of willows, came suddenly into the open at the foot of the hill, the startling presentment of the white hous

ions of delight announced the passage of the

s display of fireworks, and music by the plantati

the occasion, great rosettes of crimson worn upon the breast-took care of the party at the landing, bringi

d on the broad back "gallery," while the plantation folk danced in the

s a gre

zzling a display that, no matter how madly they danced, they could

s, taking fantastic steps which would shame a modern dancin

ng step taken so rapidly as to simulate suspension of effort, which set the dancers spinning like so

-to grace a figure or display a dexterous foot-b

t for the dancers below, and the gay late feasters furnished entertainment, fresh and straight from life, to the company above, for whose benefit

he supper, the toaster stepping out into the yard and bowing to the gallery while he raised his glass or, litera

ies"; and the next, following a suggestion of the first table, wh

e put 'isself to so much pains an' money to give dis party. But to make de toast accordin' to manners,

d this toast, respectfully submitted with a low bow by an ancient and