went over and swept the school house getting the mail on the way over. There was a letter from Mr. Parks saying he had received mine. When I got back home I found Dad. here. He had brought us over a piece of venison from Quint and a letter from Dick saying he was coming home for Christmas fortune or no fortune & expected to be here about December 15th. Dad. came over principally to see how Harry B was as Frank & Tim were both jabbed and he says they are about completely knocked out. Frank took it in the arm & can't use his arm for any thing. Dad. was greatly relieved to find Harry B as lively as usual and returned primed with caustic & scornful jeers to hurl at Frank and Tim for their lack of heroism. He was telling us about Rus. Skey being over there to dinner yesterday. He & Quint came across and Rus. said "Well Wess said to go back there for dinner if we didn't get invited to stay here but I said I was going to stay anyway." He sat down with his elbows on his knees and began in his usual manner. "Back to my execution, Monday. Just as soon be executed! Go down to the office, manager came along "Well Skey! Glad to see you back!" "Thank you (smiling & bowing) glad to be back (aside) damn liar - hate to be back". It is a beautiful morning (aside) "rotten morning". Got out my keys, go to the safe, turn the combination, take down my ledgers, and start with the grind. Add up a column of figures!," looking up briskly and pinching his thumb & fingers to-gether and moving his hand out {wide?} on a level with the top of his head a typical gesture of his which is comical enough in itself to provoke side shaping mirth. "See a deer, nip nipping along a ridge, brief interval of joy, then vision fades, back to earth again." Marj. listens to tales of this with cynical scorn and thinks he has a "screw loose". but I tell her if Dickens had immortalized him in a story as he most certainly would have done had he known him she would think of him not only as one of his most comical characters but also as one of his cleverest and probably most likeable in spite of his peculiar ways or more likely because of them. Ina was here all day ironing and choring around and Dad. drove her as far as the corner if not home wheh he left.

Sunday November 29th