“Imindthelasttimehewashome；thedayheleft，whentheoldmanwasouttothebarnhelpin’hishandhitchuptotakeHarvetothetrain，andCalMootswaspatchin’upthefence，Harve，hecomeoutonthestepandsingsout，inhisladylikevoice:’CalMoots，CalMoots！pleasecomecordmytrunk。’“
“That’sHarveforyou，“approvedtheGrandArmymangleefully。“Ikinhearhimhowlin’yetwhenhewasabigfellerinlongpantsandhismotherusedtowhalehimwitharawhideinthebarnforlettin’thecowsgitfounderedinthecornfieldwhenhewasdrivin’’emhomefrompasture。Hekilledacowofminethat-a-wayonc’t——apureJerseyandthebestmilkerIhad，an’
theolemanhadtoputupforher。Harve，hewaswatchin’thesunsetacros’tthemarsheswhentheanamilegotaway；hearguedthatsunsetwasoncommonfine。“
“WheretheoldmanmadehismistakewasinsendingtheboyEasttoschool，“saidPhelps，strokinghisgoateeandspeakinginadeliberate，judicialtone。“TherewaswherehegothisheadfulloftraipsingtoParisandallsuchfolly。WhatHarveneeded，ofallpeople，wasacourseinsomefirst-classKansasCitybusinesscollege。“
TheletterswereswimmingbeforeSteavens’seyes。Wasitpossiblethatthesemendidnotunderstand，thatthepalmonthecoffinmeantnothingtothem？TheverynameoftheirtownwouldhaveremainedforeverburiedinthepostalguidehaditnotbeennowandagainmentionedintheworldinconnectionwithHarveyMerrick’s。Herememberedwhathismasterhadsaidtohimonthedayofhisdeath，afterthecongestionofbothlungshadshutoffanyprobabilityofrecovery，andthesculptorhadaskedhispupiltosendhisbodyhome。“It’snotapleasantplacetobelyingwhiletheworldismovinganddoingandbettering，“hehadsaidwithafeeblesmile，“butitratherseemsasthoughweoughttogobacktotheplacewecamefromintheend。Thetownspeoplewillcomeinforalookatme；andaftertheyhavehadtheirsayIshan’thavemuchtofearfromthejudgmentofGod。ThewingsoftheVictory，inthere“——withaweakgesturetowardhisstudio——