An illustration from a 1903 issue of
Cosmopolitan magazine.
Dedicated to
Gary Barwin.
J notes:
I think, actually, it only goes "thus" (upward from lower left to upper right) if we *don't* follow the speaker. If we *do* follow the speaker, I foresee(saw) a fulcrum effect, ultimately leading us downward instead of upward, leaving the excitement of the exclamation point outside our grasp.