While the younger portion of the household gave themselves up to a succession of pleasure parties given in their honor, Daddy and Recta spent their evenings in social chat by the kitchen fire. At such times Daddy was the chief speaker, and Recta never wearied of listening to his wonderful stories. Especially was she interested in Little Wolf's career. Her wonderful escape from Bloody Jim, her triumphal ride over Hank Glutter, her astonishing beauty, talents, and virtues were subjects upon which he descanted with great fluency. "'Tween you an' me, Recta," said he, being in an uncommonly confidential frame on one of these occasions, "I used fur tu think that are Edward Sherman was a hanging around the Honey, and I sot myself tu put a stop to it, and that are day I was knocked down, and had my shoulder put out of jint, I jest gin him a hint that a nice young man was a goin fur tu git her." "Why, Philip, I thought Edward was about the nicest young man in the world," Recta ventured to assert. Daddy elevated his eyebrows, and hitching up very close to his companion, whispered, "'Tween you an' me, didn't you know he drunk nothin?" "You don't say so, Philip!" exclaimed Recta, in tones in which were blended surprise and grief. "I've seed him," declared Daddy, decidedly. "Dear me, how I wish he had always staid to home. Dear me, I can't bear to have it so; he was such a sweet little feller, when I nussed and tended on him. He don't drink hard, does he, Philip?" "I guess about middlin. I never seed him dead drunk, but I've ketched him a few times about as full as he could hold. He cum hum pretty tight from the party last night." "You don't say! I guess that's what's made his mother so low-spirited all day." "I kinder think that are wife of hisen don't feel nun tu nice over it nuther, fur she 'pears ruther down in the mouth. I happened fur tu hear her a tellin him this morning, that fur tu drink moderate was genteel, but tu over drink was vulgar. It's my opinion he ain't got a fur-seein woman, or she wouldn't hev preached no sech doctrine as that are. You wouldn't have ketched the Honey a doin of it; she thinks it's all vulgar and wicked tu." "I think it's a sin to pass it around at them parties, Philip." "Sartin, Recta; young fellers will get a liking for it, and get ruined in that are way." "I don't see what makes folks do it when they know it's such dangerous practice."