n amusing instance of this was told by
Mrs. Allan herself. Edgar one day would persist in running out in the
rain, when Mr. Allan peremptorily called him in, with the threat of a
whipping. He presently entered and, meekly walking up to his guardian,
looked him in the face with his large, solemn gray eyes and held out a
bunch of switches. "What are these for?" inquired the latter. "To whip
me with," answered the little diplomat; and Mr. Allan had to turn aside
to hide a smile, for the "switches" had been selected with a purpose,
being only the long, tough leaf-stems of the alanthus tree.

Another anecdote I recall illustrative of the strict discipline to which
Edgar was subject.

My uncle, Mr. Edward Valentine, who was a cousin of Mrs. Allan, and
often a visitor at her house, was very fond of Edgar; and liking fun
almost as much as did the child, taught him many amusing little tricks.
One of these was to snatch away a chair from some big boy about to seat
himself; but Edgar, too young to discriminate, on one occasion made a
portly and dignified old lady the subject of this performance. Mr.
Allan, who in his anger was always impulsive, immediately led away the
culprit, and his wife took the earliest opportunity of going to console
her pet. As the child was little over three years old, it may be doubted
whether the punishment administered was the wisest course, but it was
Mr. Allan's way, who apparently believed in the moral suasion of the
rod.

Edgar had no dogs and no pony, and did not ride out with a groom to
attend him, "like a little prince," as a biographer has represented. At
this time the Allans' circumstances were not such as to admit of such
luxuries. As to his appearance in this style at the famous White Sulphur
Springs, that is equally mythical.[3]

[3] Lest my mention of these little anecdotes and certain other
matters should lead the reader to conclude that I am quoting
from Gill, I would refer them to Appendix No. 1 of this volume.

There was, however, at least one summer when Edgar was six years of age
in which the Allans were at one of the lesser Virginia springs, and in
returning paid a visit to Mr. Valentine's family, near Staunton. This
gentleman often took Edgar out with him, either driving or seated behind
him on horseback; and on receiving his paper from the country
post-office would make the boy read the news to the mountain rustics,
who regarded him as a prodigy of learning. Thus far he