Chapter 20 A Rally 
2: Conversation 
UCH of the talk referred to old people, 
long forgotten. One fragment alone 
of this kind seemed worth saving. It 
told of a certain rich man (named to 
me) who in his old age married a young wife. 
She, at any rate, whether he liked it or not, 
developed a taste for gaiety, and entertained 
parties. And at these parties the old husband 
sometimes fell asleep, nor could be disturbed 
whatever might be going on—singing or what 
you will. But then, he was apt to awake sud- 
denly; and in that case he would start immedi- 
ately upon some song of his own and sing it to 
the end, regardless of the guests or of anything 
he might have interrupted. 
This seems to have been told on the first day of 
my uncle’s visit. The following night he went 
to bed with diminished pain, but almost over- 
filled with emotion. It was Sunday; and after 
supper, while I sat with him at the table, his 
daughter and the rest of the family went into the 
next room and began singing hymns. They 
chose old-fashioned favourites, of his mother’s 
period, ending with “‘ Rock of Ages.” 
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