Deacon Quickset came into the shop a while ago.

What do you suppose he wanted?
Wanted me to pray for him! I said I would, and I did; but I was so took aback by it that I had to talk to somebody, so I came home." "Why didn't you go talk to the preacher or Ray Bartram ?" asked Mrs.
Kimper, after the natural expressions of astonishment had been made.
"Well," said Sam, "I suppose it was because I wanted to talk to somebody that I was better acquainted with." Mrs.Kimper looked at her husband in astonishment.

Sam returned his wife's gaze, but with a placid expression of countenance.
"I don't amount to much, Sam," Mrs.Kimper finally sighed, with a helpless look.
"You're my wife; that's much--to me.

Some day I hope it will be the same to you." There was a knock at the door, and as soon as Sam shouted "Come in!" Judge Prency entered.
"Sam," said he, "ever since I saw you were in earnest about living a new life, I've been trying to arrange matters so that your boy Joe--I suppose you know why he ran away--could come back without getting into trouble.

It was not easy, for the man from whom he--took something seemed to feel very ugly.