He never failed them.

Since the beginning of the century he had not missed a funeral, and his children felt that he was a great example.

Sire and sons returned from the cemetery invigorated for their dally labours.

If one of them happened to start a dozen yards behind the others, he never thought of making up the distance.

If his foot struck against a stone, he came to a dead-stop; when he discovered that he had stopped, he set off again.
A high wall shut off this old family's house and garden from the clatter of Thrums, a wall that gave Snecky some trouble before he went to live within it.