"An' about the time Milly was the prettiest an' the sweetest,
along came a young minister who began to ride some of a race with
the other fellers for Milly. An' he won. Milly had always been
strong on religion, an' when she met Frank Erne she went in heart
an' soul for the salvation of souls. Fact was, Milly, through
study of the Bible an' attendin' church an' revivals, went a
little out of her head. It didn't worry the old folks none, an'
the only worry to me was Milly's everlastin' prayin' an' workin'
to save my soul. She never converted me, but we was the best of
comrades, an' I reckon no brother an' sister ever loved each
other better. Well, Frank Erne an me hit up a great friendship.
He was a strappin' feller, good to look at, an' had the most
pleasin' ways. His religion never bothered me, for he could hunt
an' fish an' ride an' be a good feller. After buffalo once, he
come pretty near to savin' my life. We got to be thick as
brothers, an' he was the only man I ever seen who I thought was
good enough for Milly. An' the day they were married I got drunk
for the only time in my life.
"Soon after that I left home--it seems Milly was the only one who
could keep me home--an' I went to the bad, as to prosperin' I saw
some pretty hard life in the Pan Handle, an' then I went North.
In them days Kansas an' Nebraska was as bad, come to think of it,
as these days right here on the border of Utah.
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