aid the perverse old lady with
another chuckle.

"Why, grandmother?"

"Harriet has had an eye on him herself."

Annie gasped. "Aunt Harriet must be at least twenty-five years
older," said she.

"Hm," said the old lady, "that doesn't amount to anything. Harriet
didn't put on her pearl breast-pin and crimp her hair unless she had
something in her mind. Susan has given up, but Harriet hasn't given
up."

Annie still looked aghast.

"When are you going to get married?" asked the old lady.

"I don't know."

"Haven't settled that yet? Well, when you do, there's the white satin
embroidered with white roses that I was married in and my old lace
veil. I think he's a nice young man. All I have against him is his
calling. You will have to go to meeting whether you want to or not
and listen to the same man's sermons. But he is good looking and they
say he has money, and anyway, the Eustaces won't peter out in old
maids. There's one thing I am sorry about. Sunday is going to be a
pretty long day for me, after you are married, and I suppose before.
If you are going to marry that man, I suppose you will have to begin
going to meeting at once."

Then Annie spoke decidedly. "I am always going to play pinocle with
you Sunday forenoons as long as you live, grandmother," said she.

"After you are married?"

"Yes, I am."

"After you are married to a minister?"

"Yes, grandmother."

The old lady sat up straight and eyed Annie with her delighted china
blue gaze.

"Mr. von Rosen is a lucky man," said she. "Enough sight luckier than
he knows. You are just like me, Annie Eustace, and your grandfather
set his eyes by me as long as he lived. A good woman who has sense
enough not to follow all the rules and precepts and keep good, isn't
found every day, and she can hold a man and holding a man is about as
tough a job as the Almighty ever set a woman. I've got a pearl
necklace and a ring in the bank. Harriet has always wanted them but
what is the use of a born old maid decking herself out? I always knew
Harriet and Susan would be old maids. Why, they would never let their
doll-babies be seen without all their clothes on, seemed to think
there was something indecent about cotton cloth legs stuffed with
sawdust. When you see a little girl as silly as that you can always
be sure she is cut out for an old maid. I don't care when you get
married--just as soon as you want to--and you shall have a pretty
wedding and you shall have you