him, which is hard to onderstand an' harder
to put up with. It gets to be his habit constant to reemark in a
wearied way, as he slops out his drinks, that we-all'll have to
excoose him talkin' to us much, because he's got cares on his mind,
besides bein' played out on account of settin' up all night with
Annalinda.

"'Which she's sheddin' her milk teeth,' he'd say, 'an' it makes her
petyoolant.'

"After which he'd turn away in dignified tol'ration, same as if we're
too low an' dull to a'preeciate what he has to b'ar.

"Or, ag'in--an' always before the draw--he'd throw down his hand in a
poker game, an' scramble to his feet, sayin':

"'Heavens! I forgets about that Annalinda child!'

"An' with that he'd go skallyhootin' off into space, leavin' us
planted thar with a misdeal on our hands, an' each one of us holdin'
mebby better than aces-up, an' feelin' shore we could have filled.
It's nothin' less'n awful the way he acts; an' that we lets him get
away with it exhibits them sentiments of Christian charity which
permeates our breasts.

"Thar's the way, too, he goes hectorin' at Boggs! Two occasions in
partic'lar I reecalls; an' it's only Boggs' forbearance that
hostil'ties don't ensoo. One time when Annalinda's out for a walk with
her two old black mammies Boggs crosses up with the outfit an' kisses
Annalinda. Wharupon Texas yells out from across the street, like he's
been bit by a rattlesnake:

"'Don't do that, Dan! You'll mebby give her something. In Mother
Shrewsbury's "What Ails Babies and Why" it's laid down emphatic that
you mustn't kiss 'em.'

"'But you kisses her,' retorts Boggs.

"'Me? But I'm her uncle. Besides, I only kisses her hands. Which I'll
permit you-all to kiss her hands, Dan, if that'll do you. Only don't
you go to overplay it none. Don't forget that hands is the limit, an'
it's thar whar you gets off.'

"'Which I ain't none shore,' says Boggs, who's some hurt, as he's
talkin' the thing over with Enright an' Cherokee in the Red
Light--'which I ain't none shore but Texas is right; only he oughtn't
to throw out them rooles of health of his so plumb offensive. You'd
have reckoned from the row he makes I'm eatin' Annalinda.'

"Another time Boggs gives Annalinda his six-shooter to play with, she
havin' deemanded it with screams. Texas comes steamin' up.

"'Dan,' he cries, grabbin' the weepon from Annalinda, 'sometimes I
asks myse'f in all ser'ousness be you got common sense! Is this yere a
s