eard of later in the
history of the state. Terry, James King of William, Stephen J. Field,
General Richardson were some of those whose names I remember. They were,
in general, frank and open in manner, ready to offer or take a joke, and
on terms of good-natured comradeship with each other; and yet somehow I
always felt behind it all a watchful reservation. This was indefinable,
but it indubitably existed. The effect on me was an instinct that these
men would remain good-natured, laughing, joking, intimate, just as long
as nothing happened to make them otherwise. They were a pack, hunting in
full cry the same quarry; but were one of them to fall out, the rest
would sweep on without a backward glance. As an individual human being
no one of them was in reality important to any other. They pursued the
same aims, by much the same methods, and they could sometimes make use
of each other to the advantage of both. In the meantime, since they as
the prominent men of a mixed community must possess qualities in common,
they found each other mutually agreeable. Many called themselves
friends; but I much doubt if the friendship that would render aid at a
sacrifice was very common. Every man played his own game.

In the town outside we made many other acquaintances, of all classes of
society. In 1849 no social stigma, or very little, attached to any open
association. Gamblers were respectable citizens, provided they ran
straight games. The fair and frail sisterhood was well represented. It
was nothing against a man, either in the public eye or actually, to be
seen talking, walking, or riding with one of these ladies; for every one
knew them. There were now a good many decent women in town, living
mainly with their husbands and children very quietly among the sandhills
on the edges of the town. One saw little of them unless he took the
trouble to search them out. We did so, and thus struck up acquaintance
with a half dozen very pleasant households, where occasionally my New
England heart was gladdened by a genuine homebaked New England pie.
These people had children and religious beliefs; and for the one and the
other they had organized churches and schools, both of which were well
attended. Furthermore, such institutions were contributed to by many of
the business men who never entered their doors. This respectable life
was stronger than is generally known. It was quiet and in the
background, and under the deep shadow cast by the glar