The minute supper was over, Otto took me
into the kitchen to whisper to me about a
pony down in the barn that had been bought
for me at a sale; he had been riding him to find
out whether he had any bad tricks, but he was
a "perfect gentleman," and his name was
Dude. Fuchs told me everything I wanted
to know: how he had lost his ear in a Wyoming
blizzard when he was a stage-driver, and how
to throw a lasso. He promised to rope a steer
for me before sundown next day. He got out
his "chaps" and silver spurs to show them to
Jake and me, and his best cowboy boots, with
tops stitched in bold design -- roses, and true-
lover's knots, and undraped female figures.
These, he solemnly explained, were angels.

Before we went to bed Jake and Otto were
called up to the living-room for prayers.
Grandfather put on silver-rimmed spectacles
and read several Psalms. His voice was so
sympathetic and he read so interestingly that
I wished he had chosen one of my favorite
chapters in the Book of Kings. I was awed
by his intonation of the word "Selah." _"He_
_shall_choose_our_inheritance_for_us,_the_excellency_
_of_Jacob_whom_He_loved._Selah."_ I had no idea
what the word meant; perhaps he had not.

[[14]]

p013 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p014w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p015

v?