Night
after night she forced her recollection through the dim past, but she
could find nothing but harmless, innocent follies. Alas, the
kaleidoscope of life has so many variant angles that no two eyes see
alike. What to her appeared perfectly innocent might appear evil in
the neighbors' eyes; what to her was sunshine, to another might be
shadow.
"Think of it!" said John. "Patty will be marrying before long."
Mrs. Bennington looked at Patty and sighed. To rear up children and to
lose them, that was the mother's lot. To accept these aches with
resignation, to pass the days in reconciling what might be with what
shall be, that was the mother's portion. Yes, Patty must some day
marry.
"When Patty marries, mother," said John, "you shall come and live with
Kate and me."
"You are moving me around like a piece of useless furniture," replied
Patty, with some resentment. "I doubt if I shall ever marry."
"Bosh!" laughed John. "There'll come some bold Lochinvar for you, one
of these days; and then off you'll go. There's the bell. That must be
Dick."
Patty and Mrs. Jack crossed glances quickly.
Pages:
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330