"I have never slouched in my life," replied Mrs.Blake decisively, "and I do not care to fall into the habit in my seventieth year.When my last hour comes, I hope at least to meet my God in the attitude becoming a lady, and in my day it would have been considered the height of impropriety to loll in a chair or even to rock in the presence of gentlemen.Your Greataunt Susannah, one of the most modest women of her time, has often told me that once, having unfortunately crossed her knees in the parlour after supper, she suffered untold tortures from "budges"for three mortal hours rather than be seen to do anything so indelicate as to uncross them.Well, well, ladies were ladies in those days, and now Lila tells me it is quite customary for them to sit like men.My blindness has spared me many painful sights, I haven't a doubt.""Things have changed, dear.I wish they hadn't.I liked the old days, too.""I'm glad at least to hear you say so.Your Aunt Susannah--and she was the one who danced a minuet with General Lafayette, you know--used to say that patience and humility became a gentlewoman better than satin and fine lace.She was a lady of fashion and a great beauty, so I suppose her opinion counts for something--especially as she was noted for being the proudest woman of her day, and it was said that she never danced with a gentleman who hadn't fought a duel on her account.When she went to a ball it took six small darkies to carry her train, and her escort was always obliged to ride on top of the coach to keep from rumpling the flounces of her petticoat.They always said that I had inherited something of her face and step.""I'm sure she was never so beautiful as you, mother.""Ah, well, every one to his taste, my child; and I have heard that she wore a larger shoe.However, this is foolish chatter, and a waste of time.Go and carry Dinah the medicine, and let me see Christopher as soon as he comes in.By the way, Cynthia, have you noticed whether he seeks the society of ladies? Do you think it likely that his affections are engaged?""No, no, not at all.He doesn't care for girls; I'm sure of it.""That seems very strange.Why, at his age, his father had been the object of a dozen love affairs, and been jilted twice, report went, though I had my suspicion from the first that it was the other way.Certainly Miss Peggie Stuart (and he had once been engaged to her) went into a decline immediately after our marriage--but in affairs of the heart, as I have mentioned often before, the only reliable witnesses are those who never tell what they know.Now, as for Christopher, are you quite sure he is as handsome as you say?" "Quite, quite, he's splendid--like the picture of the young David in the Bible." "Then there's something wrong.Does he cough?" "His health seems perfect." "Which proves conclusively that he cherishes a secret feeling.For a man to go twenty-six years without falling in love means that he's either a saint or an imbecile, my dear; and for my part, I declare I don't know which character sits worse upon a gentleman.Can it be one of the Morrisons, do you think? The youngest girl used to be considered something of a beauty by the family; though she was always too namby-pamby for my taste.""She's fifty by now, if she's a day, mother, and the only thing Iever saw Christopher do for her was to drive a strange bull out of her road." "Well, that sounds romantic; but I fear, as you say, she's really too old for him.How time does fly." Cynthia stooped and carefully arranged the old lady's feet upon the ottoman."There, now--I'll carry the medicine to Aunt Dinah," she said, "and be back in plenty of time to dress for supper." She found the quinine in an old medicine chest in the adjoining room, and went with it to one of the crumbling cabins which had formed part of the "quarters" in the prosperous days of slavery.Aunt Dinah insisted upon detaining her for a chat, and it was half an hour afterward that she came out again and walked slowly back along the little falling path.The mild June breeze freshened her hot cheeks, and as she passed thoughtfully between the coarse sprays of yarrow blooming along the ragged edges of the fields she felt her spirit freed from the day's burden of unrest.What she wanted just then was to lie for an hour close upon the ground, to renew the vital forces within her by contact with the invigorating earth--to feel Nature at friendly touch with her lips and hands.She would have liked to run like a wild thing through the golden sunshine lying upon the yarrow, following the shy cries of the partridges that scattered at her approach--but there was work for her inside the house, so she went back patiently to take it up.As she entered the little yard, she saw Tucker basking in the sunshine on an old bench beside one of the damask rose-bushes, and she crossed over and stood for a moment in the tall grass before him."You look so happy, Uncle Tucker.
How do you manage it?" "By keeping so, I reckon, my dear.I tell you, this sun feels precious good on the back." She dropped limply on the bench beside him."Yes, it is pleasant, but Ihadn't thought of it." " Well, you'd think of it often enough if you were in my place," pursued Tucker, always garrulous, and grateful for a listener."I didn't notice things much myself when I was young.The only sights that seemed to count, somehow, were those I saw inside my head, and if you'll believe me, I used to be moody and out of sorts half the time, just like Christopher.
