, and
although he limped dreadfully when he came, he walked like any one when
he went over and picked up father's gun and looked to see if it were
loaded, and seemed mighty glad when he found it wasn't. Father said he
could load in a flash when it was necessary, but he was dubious about a
loaded gun in a house full of children. Not one of us ever touched it,
until the boys were big enough to have permission, like Laddie and Leon
had. He said a gun was such a great "moral persuader," that the sight
of one was mostly all that was needed, and nobody could tell by looking
at it whether it was loaded or not. This man could, for he examined
the lock and smiled in a pleased way over it, and he never limped a
step going back to his chair. He kept on complaining, until father
told him before bedtime that he had better rest a day or two, and
mother said that would be a good idea.

He talked so much we couldn't do our lessons or spell very well, but it
was Friday and we'd have another chance Saturday, so it didn't make so
much difference. Father said the traveller must be tired and sleepy
and Leon should take a light and show him to bed. He stayed so long
father went to the foot of the stairway, and asked him why he didn't
come down and he said he was in bed too. The next morning he was
sleepy at breakfast and Laddie said it was no wonder, because Leon and
the traveller were talking when he went upstairs. The man turned to
father and said: "That's a mighty smart boy, Mr. Stanton." Father
frowned and said: "Praise to the face is open disgrace. I hope he
will be smart enough not to disgrace us, anyway."

The traveller said he was sure he would be, and we could see that he
had taken a liking to Leon, for he went with him to the barn to help do
the morning feeding. They stayed so long mother sent me to call them,
and when I got there, the man was telling Leon how foolish it was for
boys to live on a farm; how they never would amount to anything unless
they went to cities, and about all the fun there was there, and how
nice it was to travel, even along the roads, because every one fed you,
and gave you a good bed. He forgot that walking had made his foot
lame, and I couldn't see, to save me, why he was going to spend his
money to buy a farm, if he thought a town the only place where it was
fit to live.

He stayed all Saturday, and father said Sunday was no suitable time to
start on a journey again, and the man's foot w