The kiss she had
given him still seemed to tingle in his very soul, while her last
smile was like a ray of warmest sunshine. But her face, never
designed to be severe, was averted.
After having heard the affairs of the nation discussed in a sound,
scriptural manner, they all sat down to a dinner such as had never
blessed poor Mr. Stanhope's vision before. A married son and
daughter returned after church, and half a dozen grandchildren
enlivened the gathering. There was need of them, for Elsie,
usually in a state of wild effervescence upon such occasions, was
now demure and comparatively silent. The children, with whom she
was accustomed to romp like one of them, were perplexed indeed;
and only the intense excitement of a Thanksgiving dinner diverted
their minds from Aunt Elsie, so sadly changed. She was conscious
that all were noting her absent manner, and this embarrassed and
vexed her more; and yet she seemed under a miserable paralysis
that she could neither explain nor escape.
"If we had only laughed it off at first," she groaned to herself;
"but now the whole thing grows more absurd and disagreeable every
moment.
Pages:
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411