why，shekneweverysinglethingintheBiblethatmeantitwasherdutytofeedandgiveabedtoanyone，nomatterhowdirtyormiserablelookinghewas！SowhenLeoncameinoneeveningatduskandsaid，“There’sanother`EvenSo’comingdowntheLittleHill！“allofusknewthatwe’dhavecompanyforthenight，andwehad。
Ididn’tlikethatman，butsomeoftheothersseemedtofindhimamusing。MaybeitwasbecauseIhadnothingtodobutsitandwatchhim，andsoIsawmoreofhimthantheoneswhocameandwentallthetime。Aslongastherewasanyoneintheroom，hecomplaineddreadfullyabouthissorefoot，andthencheeredupandtalked，andhecouldtellinterestingthings。Hewasyoung，buthemusthavebeenmosteverywhereandseeneverything。HewasverybraveandcouldstandoffthreemenwhoweregoingtotakefromhimthemoneyhewascarryingtobuyapieceoflandinIllinois。Theminutethegrownfolkslefttheroomtomilk，dothenightfeeding，andbeginsupper，hetwistedinhischairandlookedateverydoor，andwentandstoodatthebackdining-roomwindow，wherehecouldseethebarnandwhatwasoutthere，andcomingbackhetookapeepintofather’sandmother’sroom，andalthoughhelimpeddreadfullywhenhecame，hewalkedlikeanyonewhenhewentoverandpickedupfather’sgunandlookedtoseeifitwereloaded，andseemedmightygladwhenhefounditwasn’t。Fathersaidhecouldloadinaflashwhenitwasnecessary，buthewasdubiousaboutaloadedguninahousefullofchildren。Notoneofusevertouchedit，untiltheboyswerebigenoughtohavepermission，likeLaddieandLeonhad。Hesaidagunwassuchagreat“moralpersuader，“thatthesightofonewasmostlyallthatwasneeded，andnobodycouldtellbylookingatitwhetheritwasloadedornot。Thismancould，forheexaminedthelockandsmiledinapleasedwayoverit，andheneverlimpedastepgoingbacktohischair。Hekeptoncomplaining，untilfathertoldhimbeforebedtimethathehadbetterrestadayortwo，andmothersaidthatwouldbeagoodidea。
Hetalkedsomuchwecouldn’tdoourlessonsorspellverywell，butitwasFridayandwe’dhaveanotherchanceSaturday，soitdidn’tmakesomuchdifference。FathersaidthetravellermustbetiredandsleepyandLeonshouldtakealightandshowhimtobed。Hestayedsolongfatherwenttothefootofthestairway，andaskedhimwhyhedidn’tcomedownandhesaidhewasinbedtoo。ThenextmorninghewassleepyatbreakfastandLaddiesaiditwasnowonder，becauseLeonandthetravellerweretalkingwhenhewentupstairs。Themanturnedtofatherandsaid：
“That’samightysmartboy，Mr。Stanton。“Fatherfrownedandsaid：“Praisetothefaceisopendisgrace。Ihopehewillbesmartenoughnottodisgraceus，anyway。“
Thetravellersaidhewassurehewouldbe，andwecouldseethathehadtakenalikingtoLeon，forhewentwithhimtothebarntohelpdothemorningfeeding。Theystayedsolongmothersentmetocallthem，andwhenIgotthere，themanwastellingLeonhowfoolishitwasforboystoliveonafarm；howtheyneverwouldamounttoanythingunlesstheywenttocities，andaboutallthefuntherewasthere，andhowniceitwastotravel，evenalongtheroads，becauseeveryonefedyou，andgaveyouagoodbed。Heforgotthatwalkinghadmadehisfootlame，andI