“You do somethin' for me? Go tell Twink I'll meet her at the old grove Tuesday about dusk-dark."Jody was frozen.He burst out, "I won't do it. I hate her. Ol' yellow-headed somethin'.”

“Eulalie in a remote fashion belonged to him, Jody, to do with as he pleased, if only to throw potatoes at her.”

“Jody said, "Ma, you're shore good.""Oh, yes. When it's rations.""Well, I'd a heap ruther you was good about rations and mean about other things.""Oh, I be mean, be I?""Only about jest a very few things," he soothed her.”

“He wrote: Dear ollever; yor ol twinkk has dun gode up the rivver. im gladd. yor friend jody.”

“You've seed how things goes in the world o' men. You've knowed men to be low-down and mean. You've seed ol' Death at his tricks...Ever' man wants life to be a fine thing, and a easy. 'Tis fine, boy, powerful fine, but 'tain't easy. Life knocks a man down and he gits up and it knocks him down agin. I've been uneasy all my life...I've wanted life to be easy for you. Easier'n 'twas for me. A man's heart aches, seein' his young uns face the world. Knowin' they got to get their guts tore out, the way his was tore. I wanted to spare you, long as I could. I wanted you to frolic with your yearlin'. I knowed the lonesomeness he eased for you. But ever' man's lonesome. What's he to do then? What's he to do when he gits knocked down? Why, take it for his share and go on. —Penny Baxter”

“I do not understand how anyone can live without some small place of enchantment to turn to.”

“They listened with flattering attention. He was filled with enthusiasm. He began at the beginning and tried to tell it as he thought Penny would do. Half-way through, he looked down at the cake. He lost interest in the account."Then Pa shot him," he ended abruptly.”