“MISERY” 320 “WHEREFOAH, BREDREN, LET US PRAY” 322 ABE 326 “HE WUZ A WALKIN’ UP AND DOWN” 331 “THIS DARK EARTH VALLEY” 334 HIRAM WIGGINS’S TWO DAUGHTERS 338 “A CLEAR RIVER RUNNING THROUGH” 343 “EVERYTHING WUZ READY” 347 “IN THE CHAIR OF THE RULER” 353 “FACED THE GANG OF MASKED MEN” 360 “WHEN THE MOON HAD RISEN” 363 “EXILED BIRDS” 369 VICTOR 373 “MAKIN’ SPEECHES” 375 FATHER GASPERIN 378 “FELIX, HIS WIFE AND LITTLE NED” 380 “I SOT OUT ON THE STOOP” 384 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Illustration: “THEY WUZ TRACTS AND BIBLES.” ] CHAPTER I. IT was entirely onexpected and onlooked for. But I took it as a Decree, and done as well as I could, which is jest as well as anybody ought to be expected to do under any circumstances, either on my side or on hisen. It was one of the relations on his side that come on to us entirely onexpected and on the evenin’ stage that runs from Jonesville to Loontown. He was a passin’ through this part of the country on business, so he stopped off at Jonesville to see us. He come with his portmanty and a satchel, and I mistrusted, after consultin’ them signs in the privacy of my own mind, that he had come to stay for quite a spell. But I found in the fulness of time that my worst apprehensions wuz not realized. I found instead of pantaloons and vests and things which I suspected wuz in the big satchel, I found out they wuz tracts and Bibles. Why, I wuz fairly took aback when I discovered this fact, and felt guilty to think I had been cast down, and spozed things that wuzn’t so. But whether they are on his side or on your own, visitors that come when you are deep in house-cleanin’, and most all your carpets took up, and your beds oncorded, and your buttery shelves dry and arid, can’t be welcomed with quite the cordiality you would show one in more different and prosperous times. But we found out after a little conversation that Cousin John Richard Allen wuz a colporter, and didn’t lay out to stay only one night. So, as I say, I done the best I could with him, and felt my conscience justified. He had a dretful good look to his face, for all mebby he wouldn’t be called beautiful. His eyes wuz deep and brilliant and clear, with a meanin’ in ’em that comes from a pure life and a high endeavor—a generous, lovin’ soul.