Mary-'Gusta

t unforgettable. Then, too, she was going visiting, and she had never been visiting before. Also, she was leaving Mrs. Hobbs and, for a time at least, that lady could not remind her of

ons did not trouble her in the least. Childlike, she was quite satisfied with the wonde

ng the roadside. She did not speak, unless spoken to, and the two men spoke but seldom, each apparently thinking hard. Occasionally the

ir," sh

ime? Like to go

sumed her most

ust love to travel. It's b

nished Shadrach; then he shook his head, c

child's everyday dress and visiting essentials was squeezed. Mary-'Gusta's feet stuck straight out and rested on the top of the satchel. David, in a basket with the

next attempt

arniss, have you, Mary

eeper's final charge not to forget her manners, i

ll, that's nice. Wha

after a week's visit in Bayport, which is fourteen miles from Os

ody!" exclaime

ked down at his

you, sis?"

a sis; I haven't got a

ow I come to think of it. How ol

. Did you think

, I gue

y. If I was I'd be lo

presume like

f I was seventy I guess y

ldn't I?

ked how old they are. I asked Mrs. Hobbs h

n't

old me to mind

lton, he said: "Say, Zoeth, Isaiah'll be a little mi

I shouldn't won

. Well, sis-er, Mary-'Gusta, I mean-there's South H

highway, in turn, wound and twisted-there are few straight roads on Cape Cod-between other and lower hills until it became a village street, the main street of South Harniss. The sun was low in the west and its light bathed the clustered roofs in a warm glow, touched windows and vanes with fire, and twinkled and glittered on the waters of Nantucket

ing just then. Mrs. Hobbs was miles away and the memory of the music chair and her ow

sked Zoeth, echoing

"Yes, sir," she sa

earth, if I do say it," he said, emphat

inting, she asked: "

ves there but the selectmen and they ain't permanent boarders-that is, I have hopes som

s and the houses were older and less up-to-date, it reached the corner of a narrow cross road. There it stopped before a frame building bearing the sign, "Hamilton and Company, Dry Goods, Groceries, Boots and Shoes and Notions." There was a narrow platform at the front of the building and upon this platform were several men, mostly of midd

ced considerable interest. Not enough to make them ri

ailed one. "Home

eral, was it?"

got aboard?" q

r. Mr. Hamilton leaned forward

er? Hi, Jabe," turning his head and addressing one of the gr

ay from it, opened the door behind him and shouted: "Annabel, come

an appeared. She looked much more like an Eliza

o was that hollerin'? W

ok a hand from his trousers pocket and waved it toward

d. "I see you go

along in the store?" he asked

d-and some salt pork and sugar. Ezra Howland bought the pork. He wasn't satisfied; said ther

e disappointed. "Was that a

. Rastus Young's wife, come in with her two you

" demanded Captain

ne it. Say, ain't you comin' in pret

to answer, but the Ca

id, crisply. "When we've had it yo

ccustomed to being addressed by almost any na

re, Shadrach," he said. "Annabel means well, she's r

n we agreed to pay her seventy-five cents for settin' astern of the counter and readin'

to home and kept store myself. But I did f

They owe us enough now to keep a decent family all winter. Reg'lar town dead-beats, that's what

orsefully. "If I'd only

same as she did. You're the softest thing, outside of a sponge,

ess gave way to resent

You was the one that charged up the last th

d as if he had be

yards of calico. How could I help chargin' it up, with that woman cryin' and goin' on about their

" protested his partner. "Folks d

a burst of enthusiasm, "look at that horse, will you! Turned right in at the gate withou

purple in the sunset light. On the slope of the hill toward the beach stood a low, rambling, white house, a barn, and several sheds and outbuildings. There were lilac bushes by the front door of the house, a clam-shell walk from the lane to that door, and, surr

me out. He was in his shirtsleeves, his arms were bare to the elbow, and to Mary-'Gusta's astonishme

h!" hailed the Capt

of his vest, looked at it, and shook his head. Upon his face, which w

ah?" said Zoeth, hastily. "Hope we

turned the watc

of a martyr. "Twenty-three minutes ain't much in a lifetime, maybe-but it

ix yet," protest

five. Last thing you said to me was, 'Have supper ready at hal

in a minute. Give us a hand with this dunnage. There's a satchel here and some more stu

buggy. He lifted their

live. This is Mr. Isaiah Chase. Isaiah, this is Mary L

nt to get acquainted with Isaiah, Mary-'Gusta; he's cook and stewa

. Chase, after wiping his own hand o

eet you," he

"There's the satchel and-and the other t

ggy. David, frightened at the sudden aerial ascension, utt

unket!" he

explained the Captain

What-who

e's a real good cat. He ain't cross; he's scared, t

at the cover of the bask

eated. "You fet

ly losing patience. "Did you think we'd fetch an ele

ng the basket and hastened to the side of the buggy.

and Isaiah, with the valise in one hand and the basket containing the shrieking David at arm's length in the o

en. It was small, rather untidy, and smel

Mary-'Gusta," said Zoeth. "

ook and steward." "What-what in the

ho was apparently turning

Mary-'Gusta set

n. He's never traveled before and it's kind of strange to him. He'll be all r

you want to, I cal'late. I

d for an instant seemed about to speak, but she did not, and followed Mr. Hamilton from the ki

spare room, won't we, Isaiah?" qu

ungraciously, "Ain't no other place t

washstand, and two chairs, each painted in a robin's egg blue with sprays of yellow roses. There were several pictures on the walls, their

s when Zoeth had that minister from Trumet here of a Saturday and Sunday. Every day I've cal'lated to make

'Gusta, eagerly. "I can make beds re

broke out on the floor below, a sound of something-or somebody-tumbling about,

fraid somebody would. It was RIGHT in front of the

tain Shadrach's voice. It

der my feet?" he hollered. "I-I swan, I belie

ing in a chair, rubbing his knees, and Mary-'Gusta seated on the floo

e child. "I was so afraid he'd be kil

and active. He wriggled from his own

-'Gusta. "Isn't it nice he ain'

akin' both MY legs, but if that cat had been-er-bruised or anything I should have felt bad. Well, Isaiah," he

e right there on th

ltogether. By fire! if this ain't been a day! First that chair, and then that will and letter of Marcellus's, and then this. Humph! Come on, all hand

and neatly served. This meal was distinctly different. There was enough to eat-in fact, an abundance-fried cod and the fried potatoes and hot biscuits and dried-apple pie; but everything was put upon the table at the same ti

his world-his beloved store excepted-seemed to be

nd hesitating way, "this tablecloth's sort

ply was emphatic

chicken-pox," he replied. "Ain't we g

assumed an aggr

ed, "but I didn't know you

could stand a clean ta

do besides changin' t

Thanksgivin' Day,

the washin' last week. She was down with the grip and couldn't move. If you expect

talk's that? There ain't be

but I can't give satisfaction and I might's well quit. I don't have to stay here and slave myself t

fect that if Isaiah did work for them they mi

along with you, Shad Gould, and after you beggin' me-yes, sir, beggin' on your knees, as you might say, for me

oward the kitchen door. Zoeth, who was evidently

act so. We ain't findin' any fault. Shadrac

iah. Nobody wants you to quit. All I said was-Come b

ith. However, Mr. Chase suffered himself to be led back to the table and

blecloth," she said. "I al

plainly surprised. The Cap

say!" he

er, "I can scour knives and forks and spoons, to

ake. He gazed at the child, then

aptain and Mr. Hamilton hastened

w. Isaiah'll make your bed for you. We'll be on hand and see you first thing in t

od night also and t

they found Mr. Chase up and awaiti

Yes, sir, by time, that's what she done. And she wiped 'em first-rate, too; good enough to satisfy ME, and you know that means some

them the vi

d give me the blue creeps!' She, thought that over-she generally thinks about a thing for five minutes afore she talks about it-and says she, 'I know,' she says, 'but a person must go to funerals and so it's better to get used to 'em and know how to behave. I shouldn't want my dolls,' she says, 'to do things at funerals that make peop

e and Zoeth have an idea what she was drivin' at,

k anybody's head off. Mine pretty nigh come off when she said that. I told her that, fur's I knew, He wasn't in the habit of doin' it. She said that Mrs. Hobbs told her that if she was

, but he looked ve

y way," observed Shadrach. "Or if I didn'

nds of 'em up on time in the mornin'. He, he! She undressed them dolls, every one of 'em, afore they turned in. Oh, yes, and she helped me make the bed, too. She

kind of queer bring

ijah-what's his name-David?" ask

re, and kiss him good night and tell him not to be frightened, and goodness knows what

Shadrach, hastily. "Th

nes I ever thought would be fetchin' a child to visit you

Shadrach's answ

Zoeth and me know about managin' a

ldn't have to manage her. If she wasn't managin' you-yes, and me, too-inside of a month, I'

opened the door of the spare room and peeped in. Mary-'Gusta's head and those of the

his mornin' we never dreamed of such

o year," replied Shadrach. "I've aged that much, I swan t

t in her face awakened Mary-'Gusta. She stirr

rnin'?" s

ch and I was goin' to bed and we looked in to see if you was al

hen she added, "I said my prayers to myself

have protested, but the girl

ton. I thought I'd ask him to bless you, you know, because I'm visitin' here. And bless David and Rose and Rosette and Emma and Christobel and Minnehaha. They're my dolls. And please, God, forgive me f

not a mite,

shook his head. "Good night," said Mary-'Gusta. Zo

, little gi

ed, turned to go, and then, turning back, strode to the bed, brushed the soft cheek with his rough one and ha

, Zoeth," said Sh

is-this is queer business

ing that maybe Marcellus was alongside of us tod

h. Perhaps he can see what'll happen in

es, he knows a heap mo