o the house, heated the fire poker red hot and with
it I thawed Dyke Garrett's boots loose from them wooden stirrups." Aunt
Sallie sighed. "Of course no mortal can tell when salvation will take
holt on their heart but after Granny Partlow's baptizing and Dyke having
to be thawed out of his stirrups I was powerful thankful when the Spirit
descended on a sinner in fair weather."

"It's not always womenfolks like Granny Partlow who are slow to open
their heart to the Spirit. Now take Captain Anderson!

"In his home there never lived a more free-hearted man. Loved to have
folks come and stay as long as they liked. Once I recall a man came to
the county seat in court week. He was making tintypes and charged a few
cents for them. Captain Anderson had his picture made and was so pleased
with it he coaxed the fellow to go home with him so that he could get a
tintype of Levicy and the children. He never stopped until he had ten
dollars' worth of tintypes and then he didn't want the fellow to leave.
But he did. Finally settled over on Beaver. His name was Jerome Bailey
and he died a rich man and always said he got his start with the ten
dollars he earned making tintypes for Captain Anderson Hatfield."

Uncle Dyke reflected a long moment. "There's good in all of us no matter
how wicked we may seem to others. And down deep in the heart of me I
knew my Captain would one day open his heart to salvation."

Anyone could tell you how the Good Shepherd of the Hills through the
long years had pleaded and prayed with Devil Anse to forsake the thorny
path, even far back when they returned from the Home War. Already the
Captain of the Wildcats had made a notch on his gunstock by killing
Harmon McCoy in 1863. He was already the leader of his clan. And all the
time Uncle Dyke kept pleading with his comrade to give up sin. But not
until Uncle Dyke Garrett had preached and prayed for nearly fifty years
and Devil Anse too had become an old man did he admit the error of his
way. Not until then were the patience, faith, and hope of Uncle Dyke
rewarded.

"It was one of the happiest days of my life," he told me, "when Captain
Anderson took my hand. Sitting right here we were together. It was in
the falling weather. These hills all around about were a blaze of glory,
like they are today. And here sat Captain Anderson, in this very rocking
chair where Miss Sallie is sitting now. We were alone. Miss Sallie was
busy with her posies down yonder near t