"It was very fervent," absently answered the mother.

Lin sniffed. "Well, I'd swore afore a volcany uf fire thet I smelled
licker on both uf 'em."

The mother communicated Lin's suspicions to the father. He admitted that
Jake might be addicted to liquor. Palmer, as an artist, used a great
deal of alcohol to dissolve the shellac used for sizing the canvas
preparatory to painting and the fumes of alcohol would pervade a man's
clothing a long time after being subjected to its permeating influences.

Lin, with a twinkle in her eye, declared in a loud whisper as the father
left the room: "Well, durned ef I wus him ef I wouldn't change my
clothes afore I asked a blessin' agin."

The mother was very much worried. She communicated her fears to Uncle
Thomas and Aunt Sarah. Uncle William, the county judge, was called into
conference. He advised that since Alfred seemed inclined to a roving
life it would be better for him to be connected with a religious show
than with a worldly one for he would be free from the vicious
surroundings of a circus or minstrel show, and suggested that a binding
contract be made with Palmer.

Grandfather secured a copy of the contract under which his brother, the
judge, had been apprenticed, and had a copy made to fit Alfred's
engagement to Palmer.

The following is an exact copy of the indenture which bound Uncle
William to learn the trade of a blacksmith. It is now on record in the
county courthouse at Uniontown, Pennsylvania:

THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH: That William Hatfield, of the
Township of Union, in the County of Fayette, State of
Pennsylvania, hath put himself by the approbation of his
guardian, John Withrow, and by these presents doth voluntarily
put himself an apprentice to George Wintermute, of the township
of Redstone, county and state aforesaid, blacksmith, to learn
his art, trade or mystery he now occupieth or followeth, and
after the manner of an apprentice to serve from the day of the
date hereof, for and during the full end and term of five years,
next ensuing, during all of which time he, the said apprentice,
his said master shall faithfully serve, his secrets keep, his
lawful commands everywhere gladly obey; he shall do no damage to
his said master, nor suffer it to be done without giving notice
to his said master; he shall not waste his master's goods, nor
lend them unlawfully to others; he shall not absent hims