United States -- Social life and customs -- 20th century -- Fiction; Villages -- Fiction
"And he's getting mighty popular, let me tell you, even with them that
no other minister could please or get near. There's old Mrs.
Rosenwinkle. She loves him just because he never tried to tell her
that the earth was round. Why, she says he's as good as any Lutheran.
And Hank Lolly said that maybe when that new suit Billy's ordered him
out of the new mail-order catalogue gets here, he'll go hear him
preach. It seems the minister's been driving around with Hank all over
creation and Hank says he can get along with him as easy as he does
with Billy.
"And did you hear what he did for Jim Tumley? It seems the minister
told Grandma Wentworth what a fine voice Jim had and what an ear for
music. And he was most surprised that Jim never even had a second-hand
organ of his own in the house but had to go over to his sister's, Mrs.
Hoskins, for to play a little tune when the fancy took him. He said it
was an awful pity that a man who wanted music so badly and was always
so obliging at weddings and funerals and entertainments should be
without a proper instrument. And Grandma just said, 'My land, nobody's
ever thought of that but I'll speak of it.'
"Well, she did and the consequence is that Mary Tumley is so nervous
she can't sleep. She says if she takes the savings out of the bank
there won't be enough money for a Keeley cure, or a respectable funeral
for Jim in case he dies. She's struggled and struggled but come to the
conclusion that it wouldn't be right and would set an awful example to
the Luttins next door, who are extravagant enough as it is.
"But it's my notion that Jim Tumley will get his organ and maybe a
piano. I saw him going in with Frank Burton on that early morning
train and it means something. Besides, Grandma told me that Frank
fairly hates himself for not thinking of it before and waiting like a
born idiot for a boy to come all the way from India and tell him what
to do for his best friend.
"Agnes Tomlins says she's got a good mind to go and see the minister
about Hen. She says that if Hen don't quit abusing her and tormenting
her she's going to leave him; that her sister Mary over in Aberdeen has
a big up-stairs bedroom all aired and waiting for her. It seems that
Hen's more than contrarily stubborn lately. He's contradicted Agnes
publicly time and again and gone against her in private till Agnes says
there's no living with him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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