Part 23 (2/2)

”I want 'em to see a man, John. They're shet up all day with nothin'

but women, and they're tired of seein' 'em.”

”But I'm an old man, Drusilla.”

”Never mind how old you are, you're a _man,_ and any man'll look good to them. Even if most of the ladies is past seventy, they ain't dead yet, and they're still women. You'll see how they'll set up and take notice; Miss Lodema'll smooth back her hair as soon as you step on the porch. I want to give 'em some real pleasure. Barbara'd like to talk to you better'n gettin' new teeth even. We'll take the big car and take as many as we can git in it out for a ride.”

Drusilla had the cook make some cakes, for, as she confided to John, ”I ain't a-goin' to take 'em a thing sensible. They git that every day. I'm goin' to have the cook make 'em as big cakes as he can, and put lots of frostin' and chocolate on 'em; and I've sent to town for twenty pounds of candy--the real fancy kind, that'll quite likely make 'em all sick, but they'll love it; and I've bought 'em a lot of things they don't need and that no one would think of givin' 'em.

They're going to have a _real_ party when I come to see 'em, John.”

Drusilla was as excited as a child about her visit; but her excitement did not equal that of the old ladies when Drusilla was seen driving into the grounds in a big limousine with a man beside her.

The women cl.u.s.tered around her and chattered and talked and asked questions, and fingered their gifts like a group of children at a visit of Santa Claus. After lunch Drusilla announced that five of the old ladies should go with her to the near-by city, where she was going to take Barbara to a dentist.

”I don't want the dentist that would come here to see the 'inmates.'

He'd give charity teeth. I want Barbara to have real teeth, so's she can chew a bone if she wants to, and I want to take Grandma Perkins.

She's never been in a motor and she's near ninety, so she'd better hurry up or she'll be ridin' in a chariot and after that a motorcar wouldn't be excitin'.”

The old ladies were bundled up, Grandma Perkins was carried out to the car, and they were off to the city about twenty miles away. The women were awed at first, and rather uneasy, some of them a little frightened. Drusilla watched Grandma Perkins, to see that she was not nervous; but after a few miles had been pa.s.sed, the old lady sat up straighter in her shawls, and her eyes became bright.

”Drusilla,” she asked, ”how fast are we goin'?”

”I don't know,” Drusilla said. ”We'll ask the man.”

Twenty-five miles an hour, the chauffeur told them.

”We'll go slower if it scares you, Grandma,” Drusilla said gently.

The old lady looked at her with scorn.

”Scares me, nothin'! I was only wonderin' if we couldn't go faster!”

Drusilla laughed.

”That's jest what I said when I first rode in the car with Mr.

Thornton.”

She gave the order and the car sped swiftly over the macadam road.

The old lady settled back among her shawls, a look of absolute happiness on her wrinkled old face.

They arrived at the city all too soon. Barbara was taken to the dentist, and Drusilla had the other ladies taken to a tea shop and given tea while she waited for Barbara.

After tea they started home.

”I don't want to go back, Drusilla,” Grandma Perkins began to whimper. ”Must we go back right away?”

Drusilla looked puzzled.

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