Under the Lion's Paw — Vocabulary
Hamlin Garland
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Poor Higley, after working himself nearly to death on it in the attempt to lift the mortgage, had gone off to Dakota, leaving the farm and his curse to Butler.†3 more

"My relation'll need all he's got t' git his crops in," said Council, in the same, indifferent way.†

My religion ain't run on such business principles.†

When the tired husband and wife were lying under the generous quilts of the spare bed, Haskins listened a moment to the wind in the eaves, and then said, with a slow and solemn tone, "There are people in this world who are good enough t' be angels, an' only haff t' die to be angels."†

Every cent he could save or spare from his trade he put into land at forced sale, or mortgages on land, which were "just as good as the wheat," he was accustomed to say.†

An infinitely pathetic but common figure this boy on the American farm, where there is no law against child labor.†

In spite of all these signs of easy life Butler persisted in saying he "hadn't enough money to pay taxes on his land," and was careful to convey the impression that he was poor in spite of his twenty farms.†

Butler shrank and quivered, expecting the blow; stood, held hypnotized by the eyes of the man he had a moment before despised a man transformed into an avenging demon.†

And when the red light of the lamp shone out into the darkness of the cold and windy night, and he thought of this refuge for his children and wife, Haskins could have put his arm around the neck of his burly companion and squeezed him like a lover.†

Butler was seated in Ben Ashley's store telling fish yarns when Council sauntered in casually.†

"W-a-a-l, set right up, Mr. Haskins; wade right into what we've got; 'taint much, but we manage to live on it she gits fat on it," laughed Council, pointing his thumb at his wife.†

They seemed to know what he meant, and that this was the last round, for they worked with greater vigor than before.†

"Well, what do you think of it?" inquired the cool, mocking, insinuating voice of Butler.†

He rode on his sulky plough when going with the wind, but walked when facing it.†

"There ye go!" he shouted jovially, to the children.†1 more

The eldest boy drove a team all through the spring, ploughing and seeding, milked the cows, and did chores innumerable, in most ways taking the place of a man.†1 more

All day long the ploughmen on their prairie farms had moved to and fro in their wide level fields through the falling snow, which melted as it fell, wetting them to the skin all day, notwithstanding the frequent squalls of snow, the dripping, desolate clouds, and the muck of the furrows, black and tenacious as tar.†

He was picking his way carefully through the mud, when the tall form of a man loomed up before him with a premonitory cough.†

His hair was a reddish brown, like his coat, and seemed equally faded by the wind and sun, and his sallow face, though hard and set, was pathetic somehow.†

All day long the ploughmen on their prairie farms had moved to and fro in their wide level fields through the falling snow, which melted as it fell, wetting them to the skin all day, notwithstanding the frequent squalls of snow, the dripping, desolate clouds, and the muck of the furrows, black and tenacious as tar.