He went about the country mending clocks, and
many an old time-piece still bears his name, with the date of
repairing, written in pencil on the inside of its door.
There was never any lack of subjects at the brick store, the
idiosyncrasies of the neighbors being the most prolific source of
anecdote and comment. Of scandal about women there was little,
though there would be occasional harmless pleasantries concerning
village love affairs; prophecies of what couple would be next
"published" in the black-walnut frame up at the meeting-house; a
genial comment on the number and chances of Patience Baxter's
various beaux; and whenever all else failed, the latest story of
Deacon Baxter's parsimony, in which the village traced the
influence of heredity.
"He can't hardly help it, inheritin' it on both sides," was Abel
Day's opinion. "The Baxters was allers snug, from time 'memorial,
and Foxy's the snuggest of 'em. When I look at his ugly mug an'
hear his snarlin' voice, I thinks to myself, he's goin' the same
way his father did. When old Levi Baxter was left a widder-man in
that house o' his'n up river, he grew wuss an' wuss, if you
remember, till he wa'n't hardly human at the last; and I don't
believe Foxy even went up to his own father's funeral.
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