FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83  
84   85   86   87   >>  
ed," and the Oldest Trustee prodded her yarn ball with a disquieting needle, "but I certainly miss the usual gratification of a day well spent." She closed her eyes, hoping thereby to lose herself for the space of a moment, but instead-- She was startled to hear voices at her very elbow; a number of persons must have entered the room, but how they could have done so without her knowing it she could not understand. Of course they thought her asleep; it was just as well to let them think so. She really felt too tired to talk. "Mother's undoubtedly growing old. Have you noticed how much she naps in the evening, now?" It was the voice of her youngest daughter. "I heard her telling some one the other day she was five years younger than she is. That's a sure sign," and her son laughed an amused little chuckle. "I can tell you a surer one." This time it was her oldest daughter--her first-born. "Haven't you noticed how all mother's little peculiarities are growing on her? She is getting so much more dictatorial and preachy. Of course, we know that mother means to be kind and helpful, but she has always been so--tactless--and blunt; and it's growing worse and worse." "I have often wondered how all her charity people take her; it must come tough on them, sometimes. Gee! Can't you see her raising those lorgnettes of hers and saying, 'My good boy, do you read your Bible?' or, 'My little girl, I hope you remember to be grateful for all you receive.' Say, wouldn't you hate to have charity stuffed down your throat that way?" and the oldest and favorite grandson groaned out his feelings. "That isn't what I should mind the most." It was the youngest daughter speaking again. "I've been with mother when she has made remarks about the patients in the hospital, loud enough for them to hear, and I was so mortified I wanted to sink through the floor, And you simply can't shut mother up. Of course she doesn't realize how it sounds; she doesn't believe they hear her, but I know they do. I wonder how mother would like to have us stand around her--and we know her and love her--and have us say she was getting deaf, or her hair was coming out, or her memory was beginning to fail, or--" The Oldest Trustee smiled grimly. "Oh, don't stop, my dear. If there is any other failing you can think of--" She opened her eyes with a start. "Goodness gracious!" she exclaimed. "My grandson is in college five hundred miles awa
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83  
84   85   86   87   >>  



Top keywords:
mother
 

daughter

 

growing

 

grandson

 

noticed

 
oldest
 
charity
 

Oldest

 
Trustee
 

youngest


speaking

 

feelings

 
stuffed
 

remember

 
lorgnettes
 

grateful

 
receive
 
throat
 

favorite

 

groaned


wouldn

 

grimly

 

smiled

 

coming

 

memory

 

beginning

 

college

 

exclaimed

 

hundred

 

gracious


Goodness

 
failing
 

opened

 

wanted

 

mortified

 
remarks
 

patients

 
hospital
 

simply

 
realize

sounds
 

knowing

 
understand
 
number
 

persons

 

entered

 
thought
 

asleep

 
Mother
 

undoubtedly