Final answer:
The excerpts provided do not offer enough context to determine the townspeople's reaction to an old man. In literature, characters' reactions to such a figure can range from skepticism to hostility.
Step-by-step explanation:
The text provided does not directly describe the reaction of the townpeople to an old man, which means the question about how the townspeople react to the old man cannot be answered based on the provided excerpts.
However, in general literature, characters' reactions to an old man or a prophet-like figure can vary significantly, depending on the context of the story. Characters may be skeptical, intrigued, dismissive, or even hostile towards an enigmatic figure offering messages that challenge their beliefs or the status quo.
To address the question posed within the context of Mark Twain's 'The War Prayer,' the townspeople react with shocked silence to the old man who interrupts their patriotic and religious fervor with a sobering message about the true implications of their prayers for war victory.
Twain presents a controversial and profound reflection on the nature of war and patriotism, as the old man's message is a clear reminder of the suffering and destruction that accompany such prayers for victory. This story is controversial because it challenges the popular sentiment of glorifying war and exposes the darker, often ignored side of patriotic prayers.