“I’m glad you are still praying for me,
Cecily, for you can’t trust the measles.
And I’m glad you’re keeping you know what
for me. I don’t believe anything will
happen to you if you do take the measles; but if anything
does I’d like that little red book of yours,
The Safe Compass, just to remember you by.
It’s such a good book to read on Sundays.
It is interesting and religious, too. So is
the Bible. I hadn’t quite finished the
Bible before I took the measles, but ma is reading
the last chapters to me. There’s an awful
lot in that book. I can’t understand the
whole of it, since I’m only a hired boy, but
some parts are real easy.
“I’m awful glad you have such a good opinion
of me. I don’t deserve it, but after this
I’ll try to. I can’t tell you how
I feel about all your kindness. I’m like
the fellow the Story Girl wrote about who couldn’t
get it out. I have the picture the Story Girl
gave me for my sermon on the wall at the foot of my
bed. I like to look at it, it looks so much like
Aunt Jane.
“Felix, I’ve given up praying that I’d
be the only one to eat the bitter apples, and I’ll
never pray for anything like that again. It was
a horrid mean prayer. I didn’t know it
then, but after the measles struck in I found out
it was. Aunt Jane wouldn’t have liked
it. After this I’m going to pray prayers
I needn’t be ashamed of.
“Sara Ray, I don’t know what it feels
like to be going to die because I didn’t know
I was going to die till I got better. Mother
says I was luny most of the time after they struck
in. It was just because they struck in I was
luny. I ain’t luny naturally, Felicity.
I will do what you asked in your postscript, Sara,
although it will be hard.
“I’m glad Peg Bowen didn’t catch
you, Dan. Maybe she bewitched me that night
we were at her place, and that is why the measles
struck in. I’m awful glad Mr. King is going
to leave the potato stalks until I get well, and I’m
obliged to the Story Girl for coaxing him. I
guess she will find out about Alice yet. There
were some parts of her letter I couldn’t see
through, but when the measles strike in, they leave
you stupid for a spell. Anyhow, it was a fine
letter, and they were all fine, and I’m awful
glad I have so many nice friends, even if I am only
a hired boy. Perhaps I’d never have found
it out if the measles hadn’t struck in.
So I’m glad they did but I hope they never will
again.
“Your
obedient servant,
“PETER
CRAIG.”
CHAPTER XXXI. ON THE EDGE OF LIGHT AND DARK
We celebrated the November day when Peter was permitted
to rejoin us by a picnic in the orchard. Sara
Ray was also allowed to come, under protest; and her
joy over being among us once more was almost pathetic.
She and Cecily cried in one another’s arms
as if they had been parted for years.
Copyrights
The Story Girl from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.
