e. That's why I'm
complaining. You never have come in the whole ten years you've been
sheriff, and you know that we have voted for you to a man, in our
neck of the woods.' My father felt this last remark, though I think
he never realized its gravity before, but he took him by one hand, and
laying the other on his shoulder said, 'Joe, if I have slighted you
in the past, I'm glad you have called my attention to it. Now, let me
tell you the first time that my business takes me within ten miles
of your place I'll make it a point to reach your house and stay all
night, and longer if I can.'

"'That's all I ask, Sam,' was his only reply. Now I've learned lots
of the ways of the world since then. I've seen people pleasant to each
other, and behind their backs the tune changed. But I want to say
to you fellows that those two old boys were not throwing off on each
other--not a little bit. They meant every word and meant it deep. It
was months afterwards, and father had been gone for a week when he
came home. He told us about his visit to Joe Evans. It was winter
time, and mother and us boys were sitting around the old fireplace in
the evening. 'I never saw him so embarrassed before in my life,' said
father. 'I did ride out of my way, but I was glad of the chance. Men
like Joe Evans are getting scarce.' He nodded to us boys. 'It was
nearly dark when I rode up to his gate. He recognized me and came down
to the gate to meet me. "Howdy, Sam," was all he said. There was a
troubled expression in his face, though he looked well enough, but he
couldn't simply look me in the face. Just kept his eye on the ground.
He motioned for a nigger boy and said to him, "Take his horse." He
started to lead the way up the path, when I stopped him. "Look here,
Joe," I said to him. "Now, if there's anything wrong, anything likely
to happen in the family, I can just as well drop back on the pike and
stay all night with some of the neighbors. You know I'm acquainted all
around here." He turned in the path, and there was the most painful
look in his face I ever saw as he spoke: "Hell, no, Sam, there's
nothing wrong. We've got plenty to eat, plenty of beds, no end of
horse-feed, but by G----, Sam, there isn't a drop of whiskey on the
place!"'

"You see it was hoss and cabello, and Joe seemed to think the hoss
on him was an unpardonable offense. Salt? You'll find it in an empty
one-spoon baking-powder can over there. In those panniers that belong
to that