All told, you won't get more'n three hours' sleep. Frank Gibbs, I don't know what's goin' to become of you.
I do wish I could get you to go away someplace and take a rest. I think it would do you good.
Emileeee! Time to get up! Wally! Seven o'clock!
Don't you hear your mother calling you?
Walleee! You'll be late for school!
I guess I'll go upstairs and get forty winks*
Walleee! You wash yourself good or I'll come up and do it myself.
We've got a factory in our town too hear it? Makes blankets* Cartwrights own it and it brung 'em a fortune.
Children! Now I won't have it. Breakfast is just as good as any other meal and I won't have you gobbling like wolves. It'll stunt your growth, that's a fact. Put away your book, Wally
Aw, Ma! By ten o'clock I got to know all about Canada.
You know the rule's well as I do no books at table. As for me, I'd rather have my children healthy than bright.
I'm both, Mama: you know I am. I'm the brightest girl in school for my age. I have a wonderful memory.
Eat your breakfast.
There's the first bell I gotta go.
Now walk fast, but you don't have to run. Wally, pull up your pants at the knee.
Good morning, Myrtle. How's your cold?
Well, I still get that tickling feeling in my throat. I told Charles I didn't know as I'd go to choir practice tonight. Wouldn't be any use.
Have you tried singing over your voice?
Yes, but somehow I can't do that and stay on the key. While I'm resting myself I thought I'd string some of these beans.
Let me help you. Beans have been good this year.
I've decided to put up forty quarts if it kills me. The children say they hate 'em, but I notice they're able to get 'em down all winter.
Now, Myrtle. I've got to tell you something, because if I don't tell somebody I'll burst.
Why, Julia Gibbs!
Here, give me some more of those beans. Myrtle,
did one of those secondhand-furniture men from Boston come to see you last Friday?
No-o
Well, he called on me. First I thought he was a patient wantin' to see Dr. Gibbs. *N he wormed his way
into my parlor, and, Myrtle Webb, he offered me three hundred and fifty dollars for Grandmother Wentworth's highboy, as I'm sitting here!
Why, Julia Gibbs!
He did! That old thing! Why, it was so big I didn't know where to put it and I almost give it to Cousin Hester Wilcox.
Well, you're going to take it, aren't you?
I don't Know.
You don't know three hundred and fifty dollars! What's come over you?
Oh, I don't know. It sounds crazy, I suppose, but for years
I've been promising myself that if we ever had the chance-
How does the Doctor feel about it?
Well, I did beat about the bush a little and said that if I got
a legacy that's the way I put it I'd make him take me somewhere,
M-m-m . . . What did he say?
Every two years he makes a trip to the
battlefields of the Qvil War and that's enough treat for anybody, he says.
Well, Mr. Webb just admires the way Dr. Gibbs knows everything about the Civil War. Mr. Webb's a good mind to give up Napoleon and move over to the Civil War, only Dr. Gibbs being one of the greatest experts in the country just makes him despair.
It's a fact! Dr. Gibbs is never so happy as when he's at Antietam or Gettysburg. The times I've walked over those hills, Myrtle, stopping at every bush and pacing
it all out, like we were going to buy it.
Well, if that secondhand man's really serious about buyin' it, Julia, you sell it. And then you'll get to see Paris, all right Just keep droppin' hints from time to time that's how I got to see the Atlantic Ocean, y'know.
Now die political and social report: Editor Webb. Oh, Mr.
Webb?
He'll be here in a minute. He just cut his hand while he was eatin' an apple.
Thank you, Mrs. Webb
Charles! Everybody's waitin'.
Mama, I made a speech in class today and I was very good.
Yon must recite it to your father at supper. What was It about?
The Louisiana Purchase. It was like silk off a spool. I'm going
to make speeches all my life. Mama, are these big enough?
Try and get them a little bigger if you can.
Mama, will you answer me a question, serious?
Seriously, dear not serious.
Seriously, will you?
Of course, I will.
Mama, am I good looking?
Yes, of course you are. All my children have got good features; I'd be ashamed if they hadn't.
Oh, Mama, that's not what I mean, What I mean is; am I pretty?
I've already told you, yes. Now that's enough of that. You have a nice young pretty face. I never heard of such foolishness.
Oh, Mama, you never tell us the truth about anything.
I am telling you the truth.
Mama, were you pretty?
Yes, I was, if I do say it. I was the prettiest girl in town next to Mamie Cartwright.
But, Mama, you've got to say something about me. Am I pretty enough ... to get anybody ... to get people interested in me?
Emily, you make me tired. Now stop it. You're pretty enough for all normal purposes. Come along now and bring that bowl with you.
Good night, Martha. Good night, Mr. Foster.
I'll tell Mr. Webb; I know he'll want to put it in the paper.
Not to notice it! But it's getting worse.
No, it isn't, Louella. It's getting better. I've been in that choir twice as long as you have. It doesn't happen anywhere near so often. . . . My, I hate to go to bed on a night like this. I better hurry. Those children'll be sitting up rill all hours. Go
Yes, she'll be there; she'll be there if she kin. Morning, Mrs. Webb.
Oh, good morning, Mr. Newsome. I told you four quarts of milk, but I hope you can spare me another.
Yes'm . . . and the two of cream.
Will it start raining again, Mr. Newsome?
Well. Just sayin* to Mrs. Gibbs as how it may lighten up, Mrs.
Newsome told me to tell you as how we hope they'll both be very happy, Mrs. Webb. Know they will.
Thank you, and thank Mrs* Newsome and we're counting on seeing you at the wedding.
Be back in a minute. Good morning, Mother Webb.
Goodness! You frightened me! Now, George, you
can come in a minute out of the wet, but you know I can't ask you in.
Why not?
George, you know's well as I do: the groom can't see his bride on his wedding day, not until he sees her in church.
There's a lot of common sense in some superstitions, George.
Millions have folla'd it, George, and you don't want to be the first to fly in the face of custom.
How is Emily?
She hasn't waked tip yet. I haven't heard a sound out of her.
Emily's asleep!!!
No wonder! We were up 'til all hours, sewing and packing. Now I'll tell you what I'll do; you set down here a minute with Mr. Webb and drink this cup of coffee; and I'll go upstairs and see she doesn't come down and surprise you. There's some bacon, too;
A book came into my office the other day, George, on the Philo System of raising chickens. I want you to read it, Fm thinking of beginning in a small way in the back yard, and I'm going to put an incubator in the cellar-
Charles, are you talking about that old incubator again? I thought you two'd be talking about things worth while.
Well, Myrtle, if you want to give the boy some good advice, I'll go upstairs and leave you alone with him.
George, Emily's got to come downstairs and eat her breakfast. She sends you her love but she doesn't want to lay eyes on you. Good-by.
Myrtle, I guess you don't know about that older superstition.
What do you mean, Charles?
Well, that's all my sermon. Twan't very long, anyway.
I don't know why on earth I should be crying.
I suppose there's nothing to cry about. It came over me at breakfast this morning; there was Emily eating her breakfast as she's done for seventeen
years and now she's going off to eat it in someone else's hou
Good morning, Mr. Warren. 'Morning, Howie.
Chil-dren! Wally! Emily! . . . Time to get up.
Mama, I'm here! Oh! how young Mama looks! I didn't know
Mama was ever that young.
You can come and dress by the kitchen fire, if you like; but hurry. Good-morning,- Mr. Newseme, Whhhh it's cold.
Ten below by my barn, Mrs. Webb.
Think of it! Keep yourself wrapped up.
Mama, I can't find my blue hair ribbon anywhere.
Just open your eyes, dear, that's all. I laid it out for you special on the dresser, there. If it were a snake it would bite you.
Good morning, Mother.
How did it go, Charles?
Oh, fine, I guess. I told'm a few things. Everything all right here?
Yes can't think of anything that's happened, special. Been right cold. Howie Newsome says it's ten below over to his barn.
Yes, well, it's colder than that at Hamilton College. Students' ears are falling off. It ain't Christian. Paper have any mistakes in it?
None that I noticed. Coffee's ready when you want it. Charles! Don't forget; it's Emily's birthday. Did you remember to get her something?
Yes, I've got something here. Where's my girl? Where's my birthday girl?
Don't interrupt her now, Charles. You can see her at breakfast. She's slow enough as it is. Hurry up, children! It's seven o'clock. Now, I don't want to call you again.
Good morning, Mama.
Well, now, dear, a very happy birthday to my girl and many happy returns. There are some surprises waiting for you on the kitchen table.
Oh, Mama, you shouldn't have. I can't I can't.
But birthday or no birthday, I want you to eat your breakfast good and slow. I want you to grow up and be a good strong girl. That in the blue paper is from your Aunt Carrie; and I reckon you can guess who brought the post-card album. I found it on the do
Oh, George! I'd forgotten that. .
Oh, George! I'd forgotten that. .
Mama, just for a moment we're happy. Let's look at one another.
That in the yellow paper is something I found in the attic among your grandmother's things. You're old enough to wear it now, and I thought you'd like it.
And this is from you. Why, Mama, it's just lovely and it's just
what I wanted. It's beautiful!
Well, I hoped you'd like it. Hunted all over. Your Aunt Norah couldn't find one in Concord, so I had to send all the way to Boston. Wally has something
for you, too. He made it at manual-training class and he's very proud of it. Be sure you make a big
fus