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The "unexpected" which Dan`l Borem had hinted might characterize his future conduct was first intimated by his treatment of the "Widow Cully," an aged and impoverished woman whose property was heavily mortaged to him. He had curtly summoned her to come to his office on Christmas Day and settle up. Frightened, hopeless, and in the face of a snowstorm, the old woman attended, but was surprised by receiving a "satisfaction piece" in full from the banker, and a gorgeous Christmas dinner. "All the same," said Mrs. Bigsby to Lummox, "Dan`l might hev done all this without frightenin` the poor old critter into a nervous fever, chillin` her through by makin` her walk two miles through the snow, and keepin` her on the ragged edge o` despair for two mortal hours! But it`s his humorous way." "Did he give any reason for being so lenient to the widow?" asked Lummox. "He said that her son had given him a core of his apple when they were boys together. Dan`l ez mighty thoughtful o` folks that was kind to him in them days." "Is that all?" said Lummox, astonished. "Well--I`ve kinder thought suthin` else," said Mrs. Bigsby hesitatingly. "What?" "That its bein` Christmas Day--and as I`ve heard tell that`s NO DAY IN LAW, but just like Sunday--Dan`l mebbe thought that he might crawl outer that satisfaction piece, ef he ever wanted ter! Dan`l is mighty cute."
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