Next morning she found the lesson and the poetry on
her slate. Mrs. Harding bathed and clothed her
in the little garments, and showed her enough more
for the changes she would need, even two finer dresses
for Sunday. She left the coat, hat, and parasol
in reach. Then Peaches resolutely took up her
pencil and set herself to copy the lines without knowing
enough of the words to really understand; but she was
extremely well acquainted with one word that Mickey
had said “just flew out of his mouth when he
looked at her,” and in her supreme satisfaction
over her new possessions she was sure the lines must
be concerning them. Most of all she was delighted
with her slippers. A hundred times that morning
she looked down, wiggled her toes and moved her feet
so that she could see them better. Between whiles
she copied over and over:
LILY
Miss L. P. O’Halloran daily went walking,
In slippers so nifty the neighbours were talking.
The minute she raised her gay pink parasol
The old red cow began to friskily bawl.
When they observed the neat coat on her back,
All the guineas in the orchard cried: “Rack!
Pot rack!”
She was so lovely a bird flying her way,
Sang “Sweet, sweet, sweet!” all the rest
of the day._
Peter came in to visit a few minutes, so she gave
him the slate to see if he could read her copy, and
by this ruse she found what the lines were. She
was so overjoyed she opened her lips and then clapped
both hands over them, to smother the ejaculation at
her tongue’s end. To distract Peter she
stuck out her foot and moved it for him to see.
“Ain’t that pretty, an’ jus’
as soft and fine?” she asked.
“Yes,” said Peter. “They remind
me of a flower called ‘Lady Slipper,’ that
grows along the edge of the woods. It’s
that shape and the prettiest gold yellow, but little,
they’d about fit your doll.”
“Oh Peter, could you get me one? I want
to see.”
“Why I would, but they are all gone now, honey,”
answered Peter. “Next year I’ll remember
and bring you some when they bloom. But it’s
likely by that time you can go yourself, and see them.”
“Do you honest think it Peter?” asked
Peaches, leaning forward eagerly.
“Yes I honest think it,” repeated Peter
emphatically.
“But I won’t be here then,” Peaches
reminded him.
“Well it won’t be my fault, if you’re
not,” said Peter.
Initiations in an Ancient and Honourable Brotherhood
“Now father, you said if I’d help till
after harvest, I could go to Multiopolis and hunt
a job,” Junior reminded Peter. “When
may I?”
“I remember,” said Peter. “You
may start Monday morning if you want to. Ma and
I have talked it over, and if you’re bound to
leave us, I guess there’d never be a better
time. I can get Jud Jason to drive the cream
wagon for me, and I’ll do the best I can at the
barn. I had hoped that we’d be partners
and work together all our days; but if you have decided
upon leaving us, of course you won’t be satisfied
till you’ve done it.”
