A moment later Betty heard the carriage drive away.

They went onward in silence for a little time, then Slosson spoke over his shoulder.
"Yes, ma'am, I've riz ten children but none of 'em was like him--I trained 'em up to the minute!" Mr.Slosson seemed to have passed completely under the spell of his domestic recollections, for he continued with just a touch of reminiscent sadness in his tone.

"There was all told four Mrs.Slossons: two of 'em was South Carolinians, one was from Georgia, and the last was a widow lady out of east Tennessee.
She'd buried three husbands and I figured we could start perfectly even." The intrinsic fairness of this start made its strong appeal.

Mr.Slosson dwelt upon it with satisfaction.

"She had three to her credit, I had three to mine; neither could crow none over the other." As they stumbled forward through the thick obscurity he continued his personal revelations, the present enterprise having roused whatever there was of sentiment slumbering in his soul.