The Chronicles of Rhoda

nd confidential, she, tall and slim, and I a little girl who liked to cling to her hand. We had on our best white dresses, for it was Sunday, and her church service was white a

l go," Aunt

n gate, and we passe

y in my left that meant Sunday school. There were other family parties to be met on the street, elderly ladies carrying Bibles, and little girls and boys walking with careful precision, and down near where the

I had heard my mother say, "he al

mother?"

wrapped in his pocket ha

s finished she tied it up in a beautiful white paper, and slipped it in the mail box down at the corner. And, once, months afterwards, wh

met down by the church steps

orning,

I would cry. "Don't you s

e never called to her, I alwa

erhaps it was Norah, had told me that one of his ancestors had been a great lord, back in the days when the lords were crusaders, and I liked to think of Burton Raymond in chain armor killing people, recklessly. Little Dick and I used to act it out sometimes in the dark end of

father grumbled, one evening. "It's getting to be a nuisance. Especially s

ifteen times to-day,"

suddenly, she made an impulsive dive

ourselves onc

to bless himself with

ried we had very little, Robert. There was just one small twenty-five cent piece left after the wedding trip.

ather. He could add up sums for you, and tell you about the presidents, and who were the greatest generals in the world; but my mother knew quite different things, the kind that stay wit

when I went to bed I asked a sudden question, staring w

poor is Bur

y the light; but s

om, without a fire, and the bed is not soft like yours, Rhoda. He has a few books on the end of the shelf by his

hiv

, mother?" I demanded, anxiously.

ht on the bureau bef

is the greatest of all. It is sincerity that counts. And when we see some one very

dden kiss, and t

, very cold and poor, perhaps; but so lovable, yes, so lovable, that poverty seemed the very highest distinction. I made up a long story

another side t

lady," Norah declared. "A lad out of a butter and eggs shop!

" I asked, b

something white on a board, amid a snowy froth of suds that was good to look upon. Norah was an authority on washing, and she was, also, an authority on love.

ist si

niver had

r strong voice accenting ea

any gint w

n't sa

bottom of her trunk there was the picture of a wild Irish lad whom she had loved and left in the old country. Sometimes I used to dream that he would come to America, too, and

back to

he counter, the freshest mice that I've iver seen. It's like household pets that they be! And Burton waits on the customers. And at night he fiddles to himself. But t

p a small wet garment

git them black sta

Norah," I ans

rt of me that gloried in the crusader, and even found something romantic

was growing tall herself, like one of the plants. All her soft hair was gathered upon the top of her head, and she never ran about as she used to do. She had forgotten how to be a little gir

ve!" Norah cried, shaking her head. "What wil

drew a little dog-cart about the streets of our town, and best of all there was a fountain in the garden, where two little iron boys stood under an iron umbrella, and watched the birds that came to take their bath

tyle as possible that she might be pleased with us. Always it had been a sorrow to her that my mother h

ard her declare dramatically, "yes, dead

nd; but he knew as well as the rest of us t

me stay in her room when she did her hair before th

ing over her shoulder into the m

and then she leaned back in the

m the most miserable gi

by all the pretty things that were particularly hers. She looked around it, consideringly. There were roses on the carpet, and roses on the big arm-chairs, and roses climbed up the walls a

plainer," she s

ip tr

and bare floors-and

" grandmother Lawrence que

e fastened it around Auntie May's throat as sh

"wear your pearls and be happy, and don'

Auntie May

randmother Lawrenc

ay's eye

n growing indignation. "Do you think that I care about pea

r feet, and was con

," she pleaded, with soft appe

ment grandmother weakened; b

eggar!" she ret

own on the floor

n all my life!" Auntie May

one, and people spoke in whispers as they do when some one is very sick. And Auntie May cried! She cried until her pretty eye

d with Auntie May. Every night little Dick prayed an extra clause to hi

tone. "One brown one, and one white one with brown spots and a brow

made another

about Auntie May's beau. When I

udden wrath, from the next crib. "When

nced in

an angel as he knelt there in his nightgown, wi

y girls," he expl

!" Trixie

n't!" Di

he bed, and threw it at Trixie. There was an immediat

n despair. "Dick, go to sleep this moment. T

ngs are, mothe

lest things hurt jus

n her rocking chair, with a small, weepin

" she said, in between vers

riumphant discovery before he

declared, jealously, from hi

alled from downstai

he subject for

grandmother Lawrence buying pretty dresses by the dozen for Auntie May, and scolding violently, because they were not worn, and she watched granddad going about, with a

together let no man put asun

e May had come to our house, "to cry in peace," as she said

" she said, impressively. "B

ntie May, an

ny there, all pretty brown and yellow ones, and some few with neat tufted backs and red whiskers. And Jeremiah John, the wandering turtle, lived there. But n

untie Ma

hriek. She put her arms a

again, with in

east, and they nearly killed Jeremiah

and clung to him, his head went up, and his eyes grew dark, and he looked every inch

no!" sh

down at h

dress!" she e

d, "yes." It must have been something very terrible to which she had agreed, for she faltered afterwards, and had to be encouraged some more. Then she

's Rhoda!"

stioned mine

e, too, Rhoda

d be glad to have one of the

where the princess ran away; but I had never expected to be in a fairy tale myself. The sun was so bright, and the air was golden with mystery. The gate shut with a soft click. I felt that it

fast, Burton,"

frighten

go very fast

ter and a bounce, right through the town, and out into the quiet country beyond, where there were daisies in the fields, and cows to regard us with astonishment, and dogs to bark as we went along. We were all quite pale by now, I f

adies in the church windows watching me; but now when the time came I concluded that I liked this new way best of all. The minister was out in his front yard when we drove up, and I th

ried, sir," Burton a

r-rimmed spectacles. He left off his digging to smile at us

ere a christenin

d his sho

?" he deman

idesmaid,"

confidence in him. I

ly. "Won't you marry them? If you don't poo

sir," Burton explained, breathlessly.

r the sound of coming wheels. While we li

d, in a panic. "They'll take me home again! I know

wild eyes as though

t, and went off upstairs calling for "Dora." He was back again immediately in his surplice, with his wife following him, an

pink. She trembled a little still from agitation. After it was all over

od to me?" sh

cried, with his

ould dare the whole

to answer to me," the mi

tely, and there was granddad Lawrence

hought that he was going to shake Burton; but after a bit he calmed down, and we all went home together, the bridal couple in their b

, in a rueful fashion. "But who's going

up his gray hair until it stood

tell her?" he

s grandmother Harcourt who went to tell grandmother Lawrence. She put on her best black silk, and her lace

truths," she said, determinedly.

ther. "They talk of a concert tour for the boy, and he co

ment, his eyes sea

ould be persuaded to run-why, that story would bring him in a great many

ly, and motioned to him t

urton Raymond on a sofa together. They sat and l