all, and a
shivery, scary little creature."

"Well, then, she ought to be hardened," said Dame Kittridge. "But Mary
Pennel never had no sort of idea of bringin' up children; 'twas jist so
with Naomi,--the girl never had no sort o' resolution, and she just died
for want o' resolution,--that's what came of it. I tell ye, children's
got to learn to take the world as it is; and 'tain't no use bringin' on
'em up too tender. Teach 'em to begin as they've got to go out,--that's
my maxim."

"Mis' Kittridge," said Aunt Roxy, "there's reason in all things, and
there's difference in children. 'What's one's meat's another's pison.'
You couldn't fetch up Mis' Pennel's children, and she couldn't fetch up
your'n,--so let's say no more 'bout it."

"I'm always a-tellin' my wife that ar," said Captain Kittridge; "she's
always wantin' to make everybody over after her pattern."

"Cap'n Kittridge, I don't think _you_ need to speak," resumed his wife.
"When such a loud providence is a-knockin' at _your_ door, I think you'd
better be a-searchin' your own heart,--here it is the eleventh hour, and
you hain't come into the Lord's vineyard yet."

"Oh! come, come, Mis' Kittridge, don't twit a feller afore folks," said
the Captain. "I'm goin' over to Harpswell Neck this blessed minute after
the minister to 'tend the funeral,--so we'll let _him_ preach."

CHAPTER VIII

THE SEEN AND THE UNSEEN

Life on any shore is a dull affair,--ever degenerating into commonplace;
and this may account for the eagerness with which even a great calamity
is sometimes accepted in a neighborhood, as affording wherewithal to
stir the deeper feelings of our nature. Thus, though Mrs. Kittridge was
by no means a hard-hearted woman, and would not for the world have had a
ship wrecked on her particular account, yet since a ship had been
wrecked and a body floated ashore at her very door, as it were, it
afforded her no inconsiderable satisfaction to dwell on the details and
to arrange for the funeral.

It was something to talk about and to think of, and likely to furnish
subject-matter for talk for years to come when she should go out to tea
with any of her acquaintances who lived at Middle Bay, or Maquoit, or
Harpswell Neck. For although in those days,--the number of light-houses
being much smaller than it is now,--it was no uncommon thing for ships
to be driven on shore in storms, yet this incident had undeniably more
that was stirring and romantic in it t