1001
from the first 3 parts
of my new book.

1002
"The village of Holcomb

1003
"stands on
the high wheat plains
of western Kansas,

1004
"a lonesome area
that other Kansans
call 'out there.'

1005
"Until one morning
in mid-November, 1959,

1006
"few Americans,
in fact, few Kansans,
had ever heard of Holcomb.

1007
"Like the waters
of the Arkansas river,

1008
"like the motorists
on the highway,

1009
"exceptional happenings
never stopped there.

1010
"Perry Smith's voice
was both gentle and prim¹.

1011
"A voice that, though soft,

1012
"manufactured
each sound exactly,

1013
"ejected it like a smoke ring
issuing from
a parson's mouth.

1014
[Clanking]

1015
"The 4 coffins,
which quite filled

1016
the small,
flower-crowded parlor²

1017
"were to be sealed
at the funeral services,

1018
"very understandably,

1019
"for the effect
was disquieting³.

1020
"Nancy wore her dress
of cherry-red velvet,