ngs
that live."

He gave me another one of his square looks and replied: "There is more
wisdom in such talk as that than there could be crowded into a wheat
bin. But, do you know that people make fun of me because I admire a game
rooster? They do. I don't want to fight 'em for money, you know; I'm a
good church member and all that sort of thing; I believe the Book from
one end to the other; believe that the whale swallowed Jonah, I don't
care if its throat ain't bigger than a hoe-handle; believe that the vine
growed up in one night, and withered at mornin'; believe that old Samson
killed all them fellers with the jaw-bone--believe everything as I tell
you from start to finish, but I'll be blamed if I can keep from fightin'
chickens to save my life. And I always keep two beauties, I tell you.
Not long ago my wife ups and kills Sam and fed him to a preacher.
Preacher was there, hungry, and the other chickens were parading around
summers on the other side of the hill, but my wife she ups and kills
Sam, a black beauty, with a pedigree as long as a plow-line. And, sir,
while that man was chawin' of my chicken he gave me a lecture on
fightin' roosters."

"You spoke of your son and daughter. Do they attend school?"

"Oh, no; they are grown long ago."

"Then how is it that the teacher usually boards at your house?"

"I don't know; but they do. Reckon they jest fell into the habit. My
house is handy, for one thing; ain't more than three miles from the
school--jest a nice, exercisin' sort of walk. Whoa, boys! Sorter have to
scotch 'em back goin' down here. Saw a man get killed down there one
day; horse kicked him, and do you see that knob over there where them
hickory trees are? I had a hard time there one night. A lot of
foot-burners come to my house one night durin' the war and took me out
and told me that if I didn't give them my money they would roast my
shanks. I didn't have any money and I told them so, but they didn't
believe me; and so they brought me right over there where them hickories
are, tied me, took off my shoes and built up a fire at my feet; but
about the time they had got me well blistered, along come some Yankee
soldiers and nabbed 'em. And a few minutes after that there wasn't
anything agin their feet, I tell you, not even the ground. Well, we are
gettin' pretty close to home now."

"But we haven't come fifteen miles from the station, have we?"

"Well, you had come about five mile before I overtook yo