chapter IV 



OE had been taught chivalry 

 by precept and example, 

 also to understand that 

 chivalry is, in essence, but 

 the consideration of 

 strength for weakness. 

 " A gentleman owed him- 

 self courtesy toward every- 

 body," said his father, " but was doubly bound 

 to be courteous to women, little children, old 

 men, and men poorer than himself." Thus 

 the lad's dislike of old man Shack was not 

 grounded in the fact of the old man's being 

 a poor white. A man could not help it no 

 matter what he was born, but he could help 

 accepting the poor white condition, after he 

 had grown up to a man's strength, and a 

 man's chance. 



Old man Shack stood six foot two, barefoot, 

 was a jack-of-all-trades, and could beat any 

 man in the county, black or white, at a log- 



