ra, with all her badness, says
it's disgraceful, but he might ha' know'd it. _I_ did. I know'd it the
fust time she came here a nussin'. I don't see what got into him to
have her. Polly Pepper, without any larnin', never would ha' done such
a thing," continued she, as the door closed upon her visitor, who was
anxious to carry the gossip back to the village.

It was even as Aunt Polly had said. Mrs. Hamilton, who possessed a
strong propensity for pulling down and building up, and who would have
made an excellent carpenter, had long had an earnest desire for
improving the homestead; and now that there was no one to prevent her,
she went to work with a right good will, saying to Lenora, who
remonstrated with her upon the impropriety of her conduct, that "she
was merely carrying out dear Mr. Hamilton's plans," who had proposed
making these changes before his death.

"Dear Mr. Hamilton!" repeated Lenora, "very dear has he become to you,
all at once. I think if you had always manifested a little more
affection for him and his, they might not have been where they now
are."

"Seems to me you take a different text from what you did some months
ago," said Mrs. Hamilton; "but perhaps you don't remember the time?"

"I remember it well," answered Lenora, "and quite likely, with your
training, I should do the same again. We were poor, and I wished for a
more elegant home. I fancied that Margaret Hamilton was proud and had
slighted me, and I longed for revenge; but when I knew her I liked her
better, and when I saw that she was not to be trampled down by you or
me, my hatred of her turned to admiration. The silly man who has paid
the penalty of his weakness, I always despised; but when I saw how
fast the gray hairs thickened on his head; how careworn and bowed down
he grew, I pitied him, for I knew that his heart was breaking. Willie
I truly, unselfishly loved; and I am charitable enough to think that
even _you_ loved _him_, but it was through your neglect that he died,
and for his death you will answer. Carrie was gentle and trusting, but
weak, like her father. I do not think you killed her, for she was
dying when we came here, but you put the crowning act of wickedness to
your life when you compelled a man, shattered in body and intellect,
to write a will which disinherited his only son; but on that point you
are baffled. To be sure, you've got the homestead, and for decency's
sake I think I'd wait a while longer ere I commenced