"It ain't a good sign--he's got a hard life before him," said the older of the two, who had wild blue eyes under a tousle of gray hair, and was held in somewhat dubious repute because of spiritualistic tendencies.
"Guess he'll have a hard life enough, without any signs--most of us do.

He won't have to make shirts, anyhow," rejoined her daughter, who had worn out her youth with fine stitching of linen shirts for a Jew peddler.

Then she settled back over her needle-work with a heavy sigh, indicative of a return from the troubles of others to her own.
Jerome fed the old horse, and rubbed him down carefully.

"Sha'n't be sold whilst I'm alive," he assured him, with a stern nod, as he combed out his forelock, and the animal looked at him again, with that strange attention which is so much like the attention of understanding.
After his tasks in the barn were done Jerome went out to the sloping garden and finished planting the beans.

He could see Elmira's smooth dark head passing to and fro before the house windows, and knew that she was fulfilling his instructions.
He kept a sharp watch upon the road for other female friends of his mother's, who, he was resolved, should not enter.
"Them women will only get her all stirred up again.