all. Alfred grew
desperate, declaring, since his mother so strongly opposed his going,
that he would remain until his father arrived, explain the matter; then,
come weal or woe, he would join the show.

Thus matters stood. Eli endeavored to drown his disappointment; he was
not visible for a day or two. Meanwhile Uncle Ned was a frequent visitor
"to keep an eye on Mr. Alfred that he did not run away," as he expressed
it. Alfred boldly declared that Uncle Ned was interfering and further
that they could not hold him; even if they did estop him from going with
the minstrels, he would run off to the oil regions.

Another visit from Uncle Ned precipitated a war of words. As the
meetings between Alfred and the uncle became more frequent Alfred "grew
more tantalizing and impudent," so the uncle asserted. Finally, Alfred
informed the uncle that he was meddling and that his meddling was not
appreciated. A quarrel followed. Alfred's powers of vituperation were a
surprise to the mother and uncle and a delight to Lin, who informed Mrs.
Todd: "Lor! I expektid tu see Alfurd mount him enny minnit; he shook his
fingur under Ned's nose an' mos' spit in his face. I hed the rollin' pin
redy, I'd bin in h'it ef h'tit hed kum to a klinch. I tell ye Alfurd's
lurned somethin' since they shaved his kurls off. He combed Ned es he'd
nevur been combed afore, an' Mary jes stood an' luked 'til Ned got her
riled up then twixt her an' Alfurd's bumburdment, he mighty nur forgot
his religion an' his hat."

The uncle in reply to one of Alfred's keenest thrusts permitted his
anger to get the better of his judgment. He reflected strongly upon
Alfred's father and the manner in which he had reared Alfred and
concluded by declaring that he, Alfred, had been a disgrace to the
entire family and that if his parents were powerless to control him
"we'll take a hand in it."

The entrance of the mother into the verbal battle at this juncture was
so sudden, so earnest, so swift, that Uncle Ned left the house, almost
forgetting his hat. The mother ended the scene by turning on Alfred:
"You have almost broken my heart, you are a constant source of trouble
and worry to me and as if that were not sufficient, your father's people
must force themselves into our affairs as they always have done since I
married into the family. Now if you have promised this man to go with
him, if you have accepted money from him, you keep your word, you go and
I will stand between your f