"What do you s-s-say?"
Gravely, placidly, the young Quaker answered: "I thank thee, friend, for what thee evidently means as a kindness, but I must decline thy offer."
"Decline my offer? Are you c-c-crazy? Why do you d-d-decline my offer?"
"Because I have no wish to leave my home and work."
Although his answer was addressed to the man, his eyes were directed to the woman. His reply, simple and natural enough, astounded the quack.
"What!" he exclaimed. "Do you mean that you p-p-prefer to stay in this p-p-pigstye of a town to becoming a citizen of the g-g-great world?"
"I do."
"But listen; I will pay you more money in a single month than you can earn by d-d-driving your plow through that b-b-black mud for a whole year."
"I have no need and no desire for more money than I can earn by daily toil."
"No need and no desire for money! B-b-bah! You are not talking to sniveling old women and crack-b-b-brained old men; but to a f-f-feller who can see through a two-inch plank, and you can't p-p-pass off any of your religious d-d-drivel on him, either."