Goliah has been behaving very badly lately. Chloe came to me looking very portentous one day to tell me he had a gun hid in the kitchen in the yard and that when anything went against him or she told him to get more wood he would bring out the gun and threaten to shoot Patty and herself.
Goliah was out at the time and I asked Patty if she knew where the gun was. She said yes, and I told her to bring it to me, which she did, and I locked it up. When Goliah came home and missed the gun from its hiding-place he went on terribly, Chloe said, cursing and swearing to kill every one.
I was busy in the house and heard nothing of this, but finally he came to me before he went home and said Patty had taken his gun and please to make her give it to him. I answered:—
"I took the gun which has made you behave so badly and have locked it up."
"De my Brudder Bill gun, en' I want um."
"When your brother wants his gun he can come for it, but I cannot permit you to have a gun in this yard. Never again dare to bring one!"
He went off very sulkily. The next day Bill's wife came and asked for the gun, saying it was her husband's. I told her if I gave it to her it must be on condition that she never let Goliah have it again. Lizette was with her and I appealed to her to witness to Dorcas's promise never to let Goliah have the gun. The promise was made and I gave up the gun. Since then quiet has reigned in the yard.
I do not know how old Goliah is, but he is four and one-half feet high, and when he is good, like the little girl we have heard of all our lives, he is very, very good, and when he is bad he is certainly horrid. Now he is in a bad spell.
December 18.
A beautiful morning. Ran out to the gate with a letter. When I got a bundle of mail and opening it saw a telegram, I sank down on the ground in fright—and sitting there read the message. Sorrow for those I love, and it is too late for me to reach them in time for the funeral.