“‘He’s gone away?’
“‘You might call it that,’ says she. ‘It was on account of a hog.’
“‘But where did he go?’
“‘Hain’t I jest tellin’ you I don’t know? It was on account of a hog he went.’
“‘What about the hog?’
“‘Why, seems like he come home one night with a hog. It was a fine hog and fat,’ says she. ‘George he told me he got attracted by that hog and jest had to own it. Well, next day along comes a man lookin’ for that hog, and the sheriff was with him. He let on the hog was his and that George jest up and took the hog and run off with it. Wa-al, when George seen the sheriff come into the front door, he went out of the back door, and that’s the last I’ve seen or heard of him.... Seems like a lot of fuss to be makin’ over a hog.’
“‘And you don’t know where he is?’
“‘No more ’n I know where General Jackson’s aunt’s sister’s apple butter is kept.’
“‘But couldn’t you find him?’
“‘How’d I find him? Tell me that. Stick my head out of the winder and holler? Lemme tell you, when a man up and steals a hog and goes away on account of the sheriff comin’ to call, he hain’t goin’ to be found if he kin help it. George never did think much of sheriffs, and if you was so much as to mention jail to him, he’d fair have a conniption fit.’