s's brain had managed to scratch along as well as it
had under the circumstances. He said, with the exception of himself
Rufus had never had no one to really talk to. He said, to be frank, he
would in confidence remark to Dr. Cogswell as Bessy Timmans was a very
inferior person an' no ways up to Rufus. He said as he should n't be
personally surprised to know as her feelin's towards Rufus partook more
of a element of impatience than of admiration. He said as one night when
he was there he was most dumbfounded to see how little attention she
paid with Rufus discoursin' on trilobites 'n their relations to the
cursory strata. Dr. Cogswell sighed 'n' said he was afraid he'd have to
admit as he feared that was mebbe only too likely to be true. He said he
felt a sadness because every trilobite as was related by Rufus was of
profound value to any scientific student. He said Rufus was one at whose
feet them as is learned could easy sit and learn some more. He said
Rufus ought to o' gotten out in the world thirty years ago,--but then he
sighed again, 'n' said probably circumstances as no one knowed nothing
of probably chained him here. It was easy to see as Dr. Lumb had a awful
high opinion o' Rufus, but that 'd be only natural, him bein' married to
Hannah as was so dead set agin' him, 'n' he shook his head then 'n' said
as he believed as Dr. Cogswell had guessed pretty nigh to the truth. He
said he knowed as Bessy was born in Meadville, 'n' as her property was
there 'n' he said his own opinion was that with the shortsightedness
common to her sex she had chained the eagle so as she might stay among
her little circle o' petty friendships, 'n' so the noble bird had worn
his soul away in captivity, so to speak.

"Dr. Cogswell said 'Ah!' 'n' then they both shook their heads together
'n' sighed together.

"Hannah did n't go out to the grave. She stayed with Bessy. She took me
into the pantry afore we left 'n' said as the spirit o' relief hoverin'
in the house was beyond all belief. She said Betty was goin' to take her
mother home with her when she went. She said Betty said as she could
come back to Meadville whenever she liked, but she said as Bessy said
she'd never want to come back. Hannah says Bessy told her as all she
asked was to live out her days some place where she 'd never have to
hear again what a very superior man Rufus was.

"I stood aroun' an' talked with a lot more folks. The general feelin'
was as it was a great honor