Part 1 (2/2)

”Oh, yes, indeed,” said Betty.

”Ever b'en in Boston?--perhaps you come from that way?”

”I came from there this morning, but I am on my way from London to Tideshead.” Somehow this announcement sounded ostentatious, and Betty, being modest, regretted it.

”What London do you refer to?” asked the woman, and, having been answered, said, ”Oh, bless ye! when it comes to seafarin' I'm right to home, I tell you. I didn't know but you'd had to come from some o' them Londons out West; all the way by cars. I've got a sister that lives to London, Iowy; she comes East every three or four year; pa.s.ses two days an' two nights, I believe 't is, on the cars; makes nothin' of it. I ain't been no great of a traveler. Creation's real queer, _ain't_ it!”

Betty's fellow-traveler was looking earnestly at the green fields, and seemed to express everything she felt of wonder and interest by her last remark, to which Betty answered ”yes,” with a great shake of laughter--and hoped that there would be still more to say.

”Have you been to sea a good deal?” she asked.

”Lor' yes, dear. Father owned two thirds o' the s.h.i.+p I was born on, and bought into another when she got old, an' I was married off o' her; the Sea Queen, Dexter, master, _she_ was. Then I sailed 'long o' my husband till the child'n begun to come an' I found there was some advantages in bringin' up a family on sh.o.r.e, so I settled down for a spell; but just as I got round to leavin' and goin' back, my husband got tired o' the sea and s.h.i.+ppin' all run down, so home he come, and you wouldn't know us now from sh.o.r.efolks. Pretty good sailor, be ye?” (looking at Betty sharply).

”Yes, I love the sea,” said Betty.

”I want to know,” said her new friend admiringly, and then took a long breath and got out of her gloves.

”Your father a s.h.i.+pmaster?” she continued.

”No,” said Betty humbly.

”What trade does he follow?”

”He has written some books; he is a naturalist; but papa can do almost anything,” replied Betty proudly.

”I want to know,” said the traveler again. ”Well, I don't realize just what naturalists hold to; there's too many sects a-goin' nowadays for me. I was brought up good old-fas.h.i.+oned Methodist, but this very mornin'

in the depot I was speakin' with a stranger that said she was a Calvin-Advent, and they was increasin' fast. She did 'pear as well as anybody; a nice appearin' woman. Well, there's room for all.”

Betty was forced to smile, and tried to hide her face by looking out of the window. Just then the conductor kindly appeared, and so she pulled her face straight again.

”Ain't got no brothers an' sisters?” asked the funny old soul.

”No,” said Betty. ”Papa and I are all alone.”

”Mother ain't livin'?” and the kind homely face turned quickly toward her.

”She died when I was a baby.”

”My sakes, how you talk! You don't feel to miss her, but she would have set everything by you.” (There was something truly affectionate in the way this was said.) ”All my child'n are married off,” she continued.

”The house seems too big now. I do' know but what, if you don't like where you're goin', I will take ye in, long's you feel to stop.”

”Oh, thank you,” said Betty gratefully. ”I'm sure I should have a good time. I'm going to stay with my grandaunts this summer. My father has gone to Alaska.”

”Oh, I do feel to hope it's by sea!” exclaimed the listener.

The cars rattled along and the country grew greener and greener. Betty remembered it very well, although she had not seen it for four years, so long it was since she had been in Tideshead before. After seeing the stonewalled and thatched or tiled roofs of foreign countries, the wooden buildings of New England had a fragile look as if the wind and rain would soon spoil and scatter them. The villages and everything but some of the very oldest farms looked so new and so temporary that Betty Leicester was much surprised, knowing well that she was going through some of the very oldest New England towns. She had a delightful sense of getting home again, which would have pleased her loyal father, and indeed Betty herself believed that she could not be proud enough of her native land. Papa always said the faults of a young country were so much better than the faults of an old one. However, when the train crossed a bridge near a certain harbor on the way and the young traveler saw an English flag flying on a s.h.i.+p, it looked very pleasant and familiar.

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