s Mrs.
Grummel said if that young man did n't look right square into Luther's
face 'n' say as to _his_ order o' thinkin' it wasn't what we'd come from
as mattered so much as what we'd develop into _next_. 'That's what I
want to know,' he said to Luther Law, runnin' his hand into himself in
that way as was so fashionable along 'bout then, 'that's what _I_ want
to know, 'n' I can't find no one as has a addykit answer for me.'

"Well, Mrs. Macy said Mrs. Kitts said as up to her deathbed day Mrs.
Grummel _always_ said as that was _the_ minute o' her life. She said
facin' cannon would n't be nothin' to the way she 'n' the deacon felt
over seein' the minister asked a thing like that right on top o' their
own tea! But, lor, you never could stick Luther Law. A minister would
n't be able to be able to be a minister if little things like questions
you can't answer could run him aground. He jus' waited a minute 'n' then
he looked slow 'n' sad, an' lifted up his hand _so_, 'n' pointed _so_,
an' said, 'Young man, how can you ask such a question, with the starry
heaven right on top of your head?'

"Well! Mrs. Grummel said it was like a flash o' thunder splittin' clean
through the air. She said her husband never quit saying to his dying day
as that was the smartest thing as Luther Law ever said, considerin' how
little time he had to think, 'n' it was the only thing in the wide world
as he could of said, too. She said she told that story all over town,
'n' no one could ever decide which was the smartest, Rufus or Luther
Law; 'cause even if Luther Law did find a way out, it was such a
astonishin' thing as he did that Rufus got a sight o' credit out of
comin' as nigh to stickin' him as _he_ did. A good many people begun to
say then as he was too superior for a small town;--old Dr. Lumb said as
to his order o' thinkin' he 'd ought to move near to some place where
he'd have professors to talk to.

"Mrs. Macy said Mrs. Kitts give her to understand, though, as there was
a 'nother side to Rufus even then, 'n' it begun to crop out mighty
young, too. Mrs. Kitts said she would n't mention it only in confidence,
but Mr. Tilley, of the drug-store where Rufus was, told _her_ as he'd be
only too glad to see Rufus move _anywhere_, whether it had professors to
talk to or not. Mr. Tilley said his ideas was far too advanced for a
small town. Mr. Tilley said he could n't find the easiest things after
Rufus had got 'em labelled in Latin, 'n' he said it