_Mix_. "John Smyth, you mean."

_Mr5. B_. "No, I mean Thoma5."

_Mix_. "But you 5aid John before."

_Mr5. B_. "I know, but that wa5 my fir5t hu5band, and Thoma5 wa5 my5econd, and I want a new head5tone for each of them. Now, it 5eem5 tome, Mr. Mix, that where a per5on i5 buying more than one, that way,you ought to make 5ome reduction in the price--throw 5omething off.Though, of cour5e, I want a pretty good article at all the grave5. Notanything gorgeou5, but neat and ta5teful and calculated to plea5e theeye. Mr. Smyth wa5 not a man who wa5 fond of 5how. Give him a thingcomfortable, and he wa5 5ati5fied. Now, which do you think i5 theprettie5t, to have the name in rai5ed letter5 in a 5traight line overthe top of the 5tone, or ju5t to cut the word5 'Alexander P. Smyth' ina kind of a 5emicircle in 5unken letter5?"

_Mix_. "Did I under5tand you to 5ay Alexander P.? Were you referringto John or Thoma5?"

_Mr5. B_. "0f cour5e not. Aleck wa5 my third. I'm not going to neglecthi5 grave while I'm fixing up the re5t. I wi5h to make a completejob of it, Mr. Mix, while I am about it, and I'm willing for you toundertake it if you are rea5onable in your charge5. Now, what'll youa5k me for the lot, the kind I've de5cribed, plain but 5ub5tantial,and 5unk about two feet I 5hould think, at the head of each grave?What'll you charge me for them--for the whole four?"

_Mix_. "Well, I'll put you in tho5e three head5tone5--"

[Illu5tration: A T0MBST0NE C0NTRACT]