Volume I Part 65 (2/2)
BEN JOHNSON.
So the time walked away ? for this family was not now of those ”whom time runneth withal” ? to the second summer of Mr.
Didenhover's term.
One morning Mrs. Rossitur was seated in the breakfast-room at her usual employment, mending and patching ? no sinecure now.
Fleda opened the kitchen door and came in, folding up a calico ap.r.o.n she had just taken off.
”You are tired, dear,” said Mrs. Rossitur, sorrowfully; ? you look pale.”
”Do I?” said Fleda, sitting down. ”I am a little tired!”
”Why do you do so?”
”Oh, it's nothing,” said Fleda, cheerfully; ”I haven't hurt myself. I shall be rested again in a few minutes.”
”What have you been doing?”
”Oh, I tired myself a little before breakfast in the garden, I suppose. Aunt Lucy, don't you think I had almost a bushel of pease? ? and there was a little over a half bushel last-time, so I shall call it a bushel. Isn't that fine?”
”You didn't pick them all yourself?”
”Hugh helped me a little while; but he had the horse to get ready, and I was out before him this morning ? poor fellow, he was tired from yesterday, I dare say.”
Mrs. Rossitur looked at her, a look between remonstrance and reproach, and cast her eves down without saying a word, swallowing a whole heartful of thoughts and feelings. Fleda stooped forward till her own forehead softly touched Mrs.
Rossitur's, as gentle a chiding of despondency as a very sunbeam could have given.
”Now, aunt Lucy! ? what do you mean? Don't you know it's good for me? ? And do you know, Mr. Sweet will give me four s.h.i.+llings a bushel? and, aunt Lucy, I sent three dozen heads of lettuce this morning besides. Isn't that doing well? and I sent two dozen day before yesterday. It is time they were gone, for they are running up to seed, this set; I have got another fine set almost ready.”
Mrs. Rossitur looked at her again, as if she had been a sort of terrestrial angel.
”And how much will you get for them?”
”I don't know exactly ? threepence, or sixpence, perhaps ? I guess not so much ? they are so easily raised; though I don't believe there are so fine as mine to be seen in this region.
If I only had somebody to water the strawberries! ? we should have a great many. Aunt Lucy, I am going to send as many as I can without robbing uncle Rolf ? he sha'n't miss them; but the rest of us don't mind eating rather fewer than usual? I shall make a good deal by them. And I think these morning rides do Hugh good; don't you think so?”
”And what have you been busy about ever since breakfast, Fleda?”
”Oh ? two or three things,” said Fleda, lightly.
”What?”
”I had bread to make ? and then I thought, while my hands were in, I would make a custard for uncle Rolf.”
”You needn't have done that, dear, it was not necessary.”
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