my boy just able to drag his poor broken body around, an' good fer
nothin' but to dig in the dirt. No sir, I couldn't hear the sermon fer
lookin' at the preacher an' thinkin'."

Denny moved his twisted, misshapen body uneasily, "Oh, come now, mother,"
he said, "let's don't be spoilin' the fine night fer the Doctor with our
troubles."

"Indade, that we will not," said Deborah cheerfully. "Don't you think
Denny's garden's been doin' fine this summer, Doctor?"

"Fine," said the Doctor heartily. "But then it's always fine. There's
lots of us would like to know how he makes it do so well."

Denny gave a pleased laugh.

"Aw now Doctor you're flatterin' me. They have been doin' pretty well
though--pretty well fer me."

"I tell you what it is, Doctor," said Deborah, "the bye naturally loves
them things into growin'. If people would be takin' as good care of their
children as Denny does for his cabbage and truck it would be a blessin'
to the world."

"It is funny, Doctor," put in Denny, "but do you know those things out
there seem just like people to me. I tell mother it ain't so bad after
all, not bein' a priest. The minister was a-sayin' yesterday, that the
people needed more than their souls looked after. If I can't be tellin'
people how to live, I can be growin' good things to keep them alive, and
maybe that's not so bad as it might be."