“‘Course, child!  But it’s dredful comfortin’ to have a human life in front of us to show us that is possible.  Lots of times when life looks like a long seam an’ the sewin’ pricks my fingers, a new light falls on this picture, and I sez to myself, ‘Penel,’ says I, ’look at Marthe Everidge.  The Lord has made you both out of the same material.  There ain’t no reason why she should be always gettin’ nearer heaven and you goin’ back to earth.  She has difficulties and worriments, same as you have, but if she can make every trial into a new rung for the ladder on which she is mountin’ up to God, there ain’t no reason why you should make a gravestone out of yours to bury yourself under; and so I start on with a new courage, an’ when we get to the end of the journey, I’ll not be the only one who’ll have to thank Marthe Everidge for showin’ the way.”

Evadne’s eyes shone.  “You make me feel,” she cried, “as if I would rather live a beautiful life than do the most magnificent thing in the world!”

“That’s a safe feelin’ to tie to,” said Penelope with an approving smile; “for character is the only thing we’ve got to carry with us when we go.”

“Well,” she continued, “I must be goin’.  I did think I’d be forehanded in callin’, but mother’s been dredful wakeful lately, and when daylight comes, it don’t seem as if I had the ambition of a snail.  She don’t like to be left alone for a minit, mother don’t, so it’s a bit of a puzzle to keep up with society.”

She laughed cheerily as she held out her hand.  “Well, I’m dredful pleased to have met you.  I’ll be more than glad to have you come in whenever you’re down our way.”

Evadne watched her as she walked briskly along the road.  “She is not Aunt Marthe,” she said slowly; “I suppose Louis would call it a case of the solanum and the potato blossom, but she is one of the Lord’s plants all the same.”

“Aunt Marthe, what is culture?” she asked suddenly, as later in the afternoon Mrs. Everidge sat beside her hammock.  “Is Louis right?  Is it just the veneer of education and travel and environment?”

“You can hardly call that a veneer, little one.  Real education goes very deep.  Emerson says ’nothing is so indicative of deepest culture as a tender consideration of the ignorant.’  I think that culture, to be perfect, must have its root in love.  It is impossible that anyone filled with the love of Christ should ever be discourteous or lack in thoughtfulness for the feelings of others.”

“Why that must be what Penelope Riggs meant by her ’elastic shoe leather,’” said Evadne with a laugh, and then she repeated the conversation.

“Oh, she has been here!  I am glad.  It will do you good to know her.  She is the cheeriest soul, and the busiest.  She always acts upon me as a tonic, for I know just how much she has had to give up and how hard her life has been.”

“Why, Aunt Marthe, she says when she gets to heaven she will have to thank you for showing her the way.  She thinks you are perfection.”