The kindliness of the old man as well as that of the mute wife made the guests feel at home. Toward the close of the meal Chester said:
"Uncle Ben, you've got the most wonderful voice I ever heard."
Plainly the old man was pleased.
"It ain't a sarcumstance to what it was when I was younger. They asked me to sing bass in the church at Trevett, but I nearly busted proceedings. The folks said that when I let out my voice, they couldn't hear anybody else in the choir."
"It is easy to believe that."
"Then," added Uncle Ben whimsically, "they made me pay for several panes of glass that they insisted my voice had broke. I stood that, till one Sunday, a boy begun yelling that he was afeard of that big black bear in the gallery and he like to have went into fits ontil I put on the brakes. Then I quit, plumb disgusted."
"Don't you find it rather lonely here?"
"Sometimes when the children wait too long to visit us."
"How many children have you?"
"Seven boys and six girls. We lost three afore they growed up."