A MATRIMONIAL DIFFICULTY. 367 



joyfully bounded about their old master, and lie was 

 not a little perplexed at meeting the lawful owner of 

 the property ; but Wallis was a reasonable man, and 

 told his wife very gravely, that she was at liberty to 

 take her choice between the two, provided he mio-ht 

 have the children, two fine boys, and that he would 

 give her till the morrow to decide : so saying, he 

 shouldered his rifle, mounted his horse, and trotted 

 off to the forest, where he made his fire, and camped 

 for the night. 



Next day, after finishing his breakfast, he saddled 

 his horse, and rode back to the house, to learn how his 

 wife had decided ; he found his representative on the 

 point of departure, who openly acknowledged that 

 Wallis had the prior riglits, that he should be very 

 sorry to be a cause of discord, excused himself for the 

 accident, begging him not to take it amiss, and ended 

 by offering his hand, which the other accepted. He 

 then rode off to the West, to seek another wife with 

 better luck next time. The long separated pair lived 

 together afterwards as happily and contentedly as if 

 nothing had happened ; it was not necessary for him 

 to excuse himself for not writing, as he had never 

 learned the art, and, even if he had sent her a letter, 

 she would have been in the same difficulty as to 

 reading it. 



I had long conversations with him about shooting, 

 and he lamented very much the decrease of game, 

 which, as he said, had become very sensible for some 

 years at the Fourche le Fave, formerly the best hunting 

 ground in Arkansas. Among other things we talked 

 of the dreams of dogs. When I told him what I had 



