It's hard for me now to separate the livin' from the dead, unless it be that the dead are gittin' closer all the time an' the livin' further away." "And you're never afraid, grandfather ?" "Well, when it comes to that, honey, I reckon if I can trust the Lord in the light, I can trust him in the darkness.

I ain't as good a Christian as my ma was--she could beat Sarah Revercomb when it came to sayin' the Bible backwards--but I've yet to see the spot of natur, either human or clay, whar we couldn't find the Lord at work if we was to dig deep enough." He stopped at sight of a small figure running under the apple trees, and a minute later Patsey, the Gay's maid, reached the flagged walk and panted out a request that Miss Molly should come to the house for a birthday present which awaited her there.
"Won't you go with me, grandfather ?" asked the girl, turning to Reuben.
"I ain't at home thar, Molly," answered the old man.

"It's well enough to preach equality an' what not when you're walking on the opposite side of the road, as Abel would say, but it don't ring true while yo' feet are slippin' an' slidin' over a parlour floor." "Then I shan't go without you.

Where you aren't welcome is a place I can stay away from." "Thar, thar, honey, don't be runnin' arter Abel's notions till you find out whar they're leadin' you.

Things are better as they are or the Lord wouldn't have made 'em so, an' He ain't goin' to step a bit faster or slower on o' count of our ragin'.