displeased with the
question, as Pearl was afraid she might be. "I got this dress quite a
while agone. I went into black when mother died, and I've never seen
fit to lay it off. Folks would say to me: 'Oh, Mrs. Shenstone, do lay
off your mournin',' but I always said: 'Mother's still dead, isn't
she? and she's just as dead as she ever was, isn't she? Well, then,
I'll stick to my crape,' says I; and besides, I knew all along that
Bill was goin' sooner or later. He thought sometimes that he was
gettin' better, but, land! you couldn't fool me, him coughin' that
dreadful hollow cough and never able to get under it, and I knew I
was safe in stickin' to the black. I kept the veil and the black
gloves and all laid away. They say keep a thing for seven years and
you'll find a use for it, if you've any luck at all. I kept mine just
six years, and you see, they did come in good at last."

"I guess you were good and glad, weren't you, Auntie?" asked Tommy.

Mrs. Watson and Pearl apologized as best they could for Tommy.

"That's all right, now, Jane," Mrs. Shenstone said, chuckling
toothlessly; "youngsters will out with such things, and, now since
you've asked me, Tommy, I am not what you'd call real glad, though I
am glad poor Bill's gone where there ain't no consumption, but I miss
him every minute. You see, he's been with me sittin' in his chair for
the last four years, as I sat beside him sewin', and he was great
company, Bill was, for all he was so sick; for he had great sperrits,
and could argue somethin' surprisin' and grand. 'You're a good girl,
Katie,' was the last words he ever said. I never was no hand to make
a big palaver, so just as soon as the funeral was over I went right
on with my sewin' and finished up everything I had in the house, for
I needed the money to pay the expenses; and, besides, I made the
first payment on the stone--it's a lovely one, John, cost me $300,
but I don't mind that. I just wish Bill could see it. I often wish
now I had set it up before he went, it would ha' pleased him so. Bill
was real fond of a nice grave, that is, fixed up nice--he took such
an interest in the sweet alyssum we had growin' in the garden, and he
showed me just how he wanted it put on the grave. He wanted a
horseshoe of it acrost the grave with B. S. inside, made of pansies.
You see B. S. stands for Bill Shenstone, Blacksmith!

"He was a real proud man, yer Uncle Bill was, and him just a
labourin' man, livin' by his anvi