creeters them days. Ev’y man able to tote a gun war thar. Ol’ man Caswell — that war Miz Merlin — she war only a mite of a baby then — her gran’paw, he war the oldest man in th’ country; he went an’ carried his rifle his paw fit in th’ Revolution with. He fit at King’s Mountain, an’ all about here he fit.”

“Did he fight in the Civil War, too?”

“Her gran’paw’s paw? No. He war too ol’ fer that, but his gran’son Caswell, he fit in hit, an’ he nevah come back, neither. Ol’ Miz Caswell — Cassandry Merlin’s gran’maw, she lived a widow nigh on to thirty year. She an’ her daughter — that’s ol’ Miz Farwell that is now — they lived thar an’