JULY 26, 1861

Ted galloped onto the Grand Square Farm. As he approached the house, Caller Bob was coming out of his home. Caller Bob stopped on the porch when he saw a rider coming. As the fellow got closer, Caller Bob recognized him. "Good morning Ted,"

"Good Morning," Ted stopped in front of the house. He swung down and joined Caller Bob on the porch.

"So what do I owe this unexpected visit to?"

"Well, I rode out here to talk about the beer inventory at the saloon." Ted explained.

Caller Bob rubbed his chin and then turned around. "Well, come on in. We'll discuss it over a glass of lemonade. It will help cool us down a bit." Ted followed him inside. Ted sat down in the parlor while Caller Bob went to the kitchen and then brought back two tall glasses of lemonade.

After taking a sip of his lemonade, he said, "I know I'm a little behind, Ted, but several of my hired hands have quit and also my foreman. I've been looking for some men to replace the ones I've lost, but I haven't had any luck lately."

"I understand, but we're getting very low with our beer stock. We need some more in at least two or three days." Ted picked up his glass of lemonade and took a drink. It was very good especially since his mouth was bone dry. The heat and humidity was very high today and it wasn't even noon yet.

"Alright, I'll deliver you some beer in two days. That's also when I promised to deliver some to the bordello. They're running low, too. I'm really sorry I've got behind Ted, but I've been trying to keep up. If I could just get a couple of more hands and a foreman, I should be able to get caught back up. And this heat isn't helping much either. It takes us longer to work with this inferno heat like it is."

Ted sat his almost finished glass of lemonade down and replied, "I know what you mean. But this heat is helping business a lot. The men are coming in at all times of the day for drinks. That's why we need some more beer."

"We're having to make more and more ice to put in the icebox to keep the beer cold because it keeps melting so fast."

Ted gulped the last of his lemonade. "Well, I need to get back. You said that you'll have the beer to us in two days, right?"

"Yes, we will." Caller Bob answered after he finished swallowing the rest of his lemonade.

Caller Bob saw Ted to his horse, and then he went to check on his hired hands. It was extremely hot, and he hated having to put his men to work, but it had to be done.