She has very much improved
since she has been married, and you know, yourself, how quiet and--
and, nice she is, and as for the baby, it's just as good and pretty
as any baby, and it may grow up to be better than any of us. Some
of our presidents have sprung from lowly parents."
"But this one is a girl," I said.
"Well then," replied Euphemia, "she may be a president's wife."
"Another thing," I remarked, "I don't believe Jonas and Pomona like
your keeping their baby so much to yourself."
"Nonsense!" said Euphemia, "a girl in Pomona's position couldn't
help being glad to have a lady take an interest in her baby, and
help bring it up. And as for Jonas, he would be a cruel man if he
wasn't pleased and grateful to have his wife relieved of so much
trouble. Pomona! is that you? You can bring it here, now, if you
want to get at your clear-starching."
I don't believe that Pomona hankered after clear-starching, but she
brought the baby and I went away. I could not see any hope ahead.
Of course, in time, it would grow up, but then it couldn't grow up
during my vacation.
Then it was that I determined to carry out my plan.
I went to the stable and harnessed the horse to the little
carriage. Jonas was not there, and I had fallen out of the habit
of calling him. I drove slowly through the yard and out of the
gate. No one called to me or asked where I was going. How
different this was from the old times! Then, some one would not
have failed to know where I was going, and, in all probability, she
would have gone with me.
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