His hands were like claws--I never saw such hands doing much of
the hard work of the world--and, like his face, were covered with great
patches which, if they had not been so big would have been freckles. His
wife was a perfect picture of those women who had the life drailed out
of them by a yielding to the whiffling winds of influence that carried
the dead leaves of humanity hither and yon in the advance of the
frontier. She sat stooped over on the stiff broad seat, with her
shoulders drawn down as no shoulders but hers could be drawn. It was her
one outstanding point that she had no collar-bones. It doesn't seem
possible that this could be so; but she could bring her shoulders
together in front until they touched. She was rather proud of this--I
suppose every one must have something to be proud of.
I guess the old man's chin must have been pretty weak; for the boys, who
were seated on the back seat, both had high noses and no chins to speak
of. The oldest was over twenty, I suppose, and was named Celebrate. His
mother explained to me that he was born on the Fourth of July, and they
called him at first Celebrate Independence Fewkes; but finally changed
it to Celebrate Fourth--I am telling you this so as to give you an idea
as to what sort of folks they were. Celebrate was tall and well-built,
and could be a good hand if he tried; which he would do once in a while
for half a day or so if flattered. The second son was named Surajah
Dowlah Fewkes--the name was pronounced Surrager by everybody.
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