Sheriff Sumner’s relationship with his eldest son was rocky at best. While he was principled and polite, the sheriff was quiet, melancholy, and rarely known to smile. He was a stern, harsh father who expected far more from his children than he had achieved in his own life. Accordingly, Charles kept his distance from him and preferred not to live at home. He also assiduously avoided discussing his father in writing, both now and for the rest of his life, leaving only a few traces behind about their relationship.
