writes that she can't get away without one of 'em
comin' along with her and I guess we can manage someways. I dunno what
work city help will make in this kitchen. You can't expect much from
city help. They ain't clean like home folks. I shall certainly be
dretful pleased to see Eleena, and so will her grandpa--in spite o'
the way he goes on about it."

A snort came from the region of the newspaper.

"I shouldn't think you'd feel as if you had a grandchild now that six
rich people has adopted her," Albertina suggested helpfully.

"It's a good thing for the child," her grandmother said. "I'm so lame
I couldn't do my duty by her. Old folks is old folks, and they can't
do for others like young ones. I'd d'ruther have had her adopted by
one father and mother instead o' this passel o' young folks passing
her around among themselves, but you can't have what you'd d'ruther
have in this world. You got to take what comes and be thankful."

"Did she write you about having gold coffee spoons at her last place?"
Albertina asked. "I think they was probably gilded over like ice-cream
spoons, and she didn't know the difference. I guess she has got a lot
of new clothes. Well, I'll have to be getting along. I'll come in
again."

At the precise moment that the door closed behind Albertina, the clock
in Peter Stuyvesant's apartment in New York struck seven and Eleanor,
in a fresh white dress and blue ribbons, slipped into her chair at the
dinner table and waited with eyes blazing with excitement for Peter to
make the momentous discovery of the gift at his plate.

CHAPTER XI

GERTRUDE HAS TROUBLE WITH HER BEHAVIOR

"Dear Uncle Peter," Eleanor wrote from Colhassett when she had been
established there under the new regime for a week or more. "I slapped
Albertina's face. I am very awfully sorry, but I could not help it.
Don't tell Aunt Margaret because it is so contrary to her teachings
and also the golden rule, but she was more contrary to the golden rule
that I was. I mean Albertina. What do you think she said? She said
Aunt Gertrude was homely and an old maid, and the hired girl was
homely too. Well, I think she is, but I am not going to have Albertina
think so. Aunt Gertrude is pretty with those big eyes and ink like
hair and lovely teeth and one dimple. Albertina likes hair fuzzed all
over faces and blonds. Then she said she guessed I wasn't your
favorite, and that the gold spoons were most likely tin gilded over. I
don'