He had a very curious habit of twitching his right ear when the preacher said something that did not just set well with him, and it naturally followed that every pastor who ever served Mount Olivet fell into the habit of watching Gramp's ear, and of course the sermon was governed accordingly.

Thus "According to the deacon's ear," came to be a by-word through the community.
Well, as I have already said, Deacon Gramps sat on his plow-handles.
Just as he turned to unfasten the trace-chains from the plow to drive his horses to the barn, he saw two men climbing over the whitewashed fence that led from the barn toward the Church on the hill.

Seeing these men were coming towards him, he resumed his position on the plow-handles and waited for them.

As the two men drew near, he recognized in them the familiar features of Deacon Brown and Deacon Jones..