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1 " The tiniest things became magnified into horrid slights and dangers, until you were downright unlivable. And the last thing you wanted to hear was that your troubles were imaginary-especially if you knew it to be true. "
― Alan LeMay , The Unforgiven
2 " Someday, when your time comes to pass away-I want you to remember how it was this time, when you were born. Mama was waiting for you, with all your little clothes made, and everything all ready for you, to take care of you...." Her eyes were turning slowly, from one to the other of them. She did not remember, now, that Rachel was not her own child; she was thinking of Rachel as having been born to her, as she had always wished it could be. "So it will be again. Mama will be there. And I'll have everything ready for you, to take care of you, and make everything all right. So you must think of it as a glad new time. You mustn't be afraid. "
3 " But men have the hearts of little boys. They love to make up big golden dreams, to treasure as if they were true.... "
4 " Under the ground and upon it and in the air, every winter-deadened thing awoke, turned young and eager; and human hearts rose singing in answer. "
5 " We must be crazy people," she said, "to live in a leaky mud hut, at the utter end of desolation, and put our money down a hole. The boys find their work here; emptiness has some strange pull, for men on horses. But it's a dreadful thing to be a woman, out on the prairie. A woman on the prairie is an unwanted thing. Nothing but a burden and a tie-down, keeping the ones she loves from doing what they want to do. Until they can't stand it any more, and run away. Cassius will be gone soon, and Andy too. And poor Ben-he'll feel he must stay by us, drawing into himself, and growing old too soon.... "
6 " Once Papa had said, "All accidents are freak accidents. All dangers are hidden dangers, by the very meaning of the word. Look out for the Indian sharpshooter where there's no cover to hide him. Watch out for the badger hole, far from where any badger should be. A man can ready himself for anything on earth, if he knows it's there. "
