Brother Long's family appeared on
the scene, and were re-inforced by my mother in their entreaties to me
to trade back. She said it was too bad for Brother Long, and I _must_ do
it.

Mr. Keefer said: "It did beat the d----l!"

I then told Brother Long that I was like him in this respect, that I
wasn't doing business exclusively for glory; and that a few dollars,
just at that stage of the game, would be a matter of great consideration
with me.

He then offered me two dollars if I would trade back.

"Well, Brother Long," said I, "you begin to talk now as I want to hear
you, except that your figures are a little below my idea of a fair
compensation for my trouble."

He then anxiously inquired what my ideas were of what would be right.

"About one hundred and fifty dollars," I answered.

"O, Heavens! what shall I do? Sister Keefer, what shall I do? Shall we
engage in prayer? What shall I do? What shall I do?"

Then they surrounded me, and made a general clamor for a compromise.

I dropped to a hundred dollars.

He offered twenty-five.

I fell to seventy-five.

He offered to split the difference, and he to return all the territory
except one county.

After thinking the matter all over, and considering that he was a nice
old gentleman and a Methodist brother, I concluded to trade back.

A few days later Brother Long and I met in the Post-office just when the
mail was being distributed, and the place crowded. We were the center of
attraction.

He smiled grimly at me, and while passing by said: "The fools are not
all dead yet, are they, Johnston?"

"No, Brother Long," I answered; "and there is no fool like an old fool."

About three weeks later I started on a tour through Ohio, making several
agents and selling a few Township and County rights.

Another little experience with a Methodist deacon will come in here, and
I will tell it. He was a farmer, living a few miles south of Marion,
Ohio.

I had hired a rig, in the above town, to drive into the country to meet
a gentleman with whom I had previously made an engagement. When our
business was finished and I was about to leave, he bantered me to call
on his neighbor, Deacon ----, who had a notorious reputation for his
hatred of agents and peddlers.

As I always considered it good practice to meet such men, I was glad of
the chance to make this particular visit. I reached the house just as
the deacon and his sons came in for dinner.

I hitched my horse,