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realize your age so much。 My； but you do all of you know how to do
things！〃
〃I'm about the only one that don't； Mrs。 Atwell；〃 said the girl。 〃If it
hadn't been for mother； I don't believe I could have eva finished this
dress。〃 She began to laugh at something passing in her mind； and Mrs。
Atwell laughed too； in sympathy； though she did not know what at till
Clementina said； 〃Why； Mrs。 Atwell； nea'ly the whole family wo'ked on
this dress。 Jim drew the patte'n of it from the dress of one of the
summa boa'das that he took a fancy to at the Centa； and fatha cut it out；
and I helped motha make it。 I guess every one of the children helped a
little。〃
〃Well； it's just as I said； you can all of you do things；〃 said Mrs。
Atwell。 〃But I guess you ah' the one that keeps 'em straight。 What did
you say Mr。 Landa said his wife wanted of you？〃
〃He said some kind of sewing that motha could do。〃
〃Well； I'll tell you what！ Now； if she ha'n't really got anything that
your motha'll want you to help with； I wish you'd come here again and
help me。 I tuned my foot； here； two…three weeks back； and I feel it；
times； and I should like some one to do about half my steppin' for me。
I don't want to take you away from her； but IF。 You sha'n't go int' the
dinin'room； or be under anybody's oddas but mine。 Now； will you？〃
〃I'll see； Mrs。 Atwell。 I don't like to say anything till I know what
Mrs。 Landa wants。〃
〃Well； that's right。 I decla'e； you've got moa judgment！ That's what I
used to say about you last summa to my husband： she's got judgment。
Well； what's wanted？〃 Mrs。 Atwell spoke to her husband； who had opened
her door and looked in； and she stopped rocking； while she waited his
answer。
〃I guess you don't want to keep Clementina from Mr。 Landa much longa。
He's settin' out there on the front piazza waitin' for her。〃
〃Well； the'a！〃 cried Mrs。 Atwell。 〃Ain't that just like me？ Why didn't
you tell me sooner； Alonzo？ Don't you forgit what I said； Clem！〃
IV。
Mrs。 Lander had taken twice of a specific for what she called her nerve…
fag before her husband came with Clementina； and had rehearsed aloud many
of the things she meant to say to the girl。 In spite of her preparation；
they were all driven out of her head when Clementina actually appeared；
and gave her a bow like a young birch's obeisance in the wind。
〃Take a chaia；〃 said Lander； pushing her one； and the girl tilted over
toward him； before she sank into it。 He went out of the room； and left
Mrs。 Lander to deal with the problem alone。 She apologized for being in
bed； but Clementina said so sweetly； 〃Mr。 Landa told me you were not
feeling very well； 'm；〃 that she began to be proud of her ailments； and
bragged of them at length； and of the different doctors who had treated
her for them。 While she talked she missed one thing or another； and
Clementina seemed to divine what it was she wanted； and got it for her；
with a gentle deference which made the elder feel her age cushioned by
the girl's youth。 When she grew a little heated from the interest she
took in her personal annals； and cast off one of the folds of her bed
clothing； Clementina got her a fan； and asked her if she should put up
one of the windows a little。
〃How you do think of things！〃 said Mrs。 Lander。 〃I guess I will let you。
I presume you get used to thinkin' of othas in a lahge family like youas。
I don't suppose they could get along without you very well；〃 she
suggested。
〃I've neva been away except last summa； for a little while。〃
〃And where was you then？〃
〃I was helping Mrs。 Atwell。〃
〃Did you like it？〃
〃I don't know；〃 said Clementina。 〃It's pleasant to be whe'e things ah'
going on。〃
〃Yesfor young folks；〃 said Mrs。 Lander； whom the going on of things had
long ceased to bring pleasure。
〃It's real nice at home； too；〃 said Clementina。 〃We have very good
timesevenings in the winta； in the summer it's very nice in the woods；
around there。 It's safe for the children； and they enjoy it； and fatha
likes to have them。 Motha don't ca'e so much about it。 I guess she'd
ratha have the house fixed up more； and the place。 Fatha's going to do
it pretty soon。 He thinks the'e's time enough。〃
〃That's the way with men；〃 said Mrs。 Lander。 〃They always think the's
time enough； but I like to have things over and done with。 What chuhch
do you 'tend？〃
〃Well； there isn't any but the Episcopal；〃 Clementina answered。 〃I go to
that； and some of the children go to the Sunday School。 I don't believe
fatha ca'es very much for going to chuhch； but he likes Mr。 Richling；
he's the recta。 They take walks in the woods； and they go up the
mountains togetha。〃
〃They want；〃 said Mrs。 Lander； severely； 〃to be ca'eful how they drink of
them cold brooks when they're heated。 Mr。 Richling a married man？〃
〃Oh； yes'm ！ But they haven't got any family。〃
〃If I could see his wife； I sh'd caution her about lettin' him climb
mountains too much。 A'n't your father afraid he'll ovado？〃
〃I don't know。 He thinks he can't be too much in the open air on the
mountains。〃
〃Well； he may not have the same complaint as Mr。 Landa； but I know if I
was to climb a mountain；' it would lay me up for a yea'。〃
The girl did not urge anything against this conviction。 She smiled
politely and waited patiently for the next turn Mrs。 Lander's talk should
take； which was oddly enough toward the business Clementina had come
upon。
〃I declare I most forgot about my polonaise。 Mr。 Landa said your motha
thought she could do something to it for me。〃
〃Yes'm。〃
〃Well； I may as well 'let you see it。 If you'll reach into that fuhthest
closet； you'll find it on the last uppa hook on the right hand； and if
you'll give it to me； I'll show you what I want done。 Don't mind the
looks of that closet； I've just tossed my things in； till I could get a
little time and stren'th to put 'em in odda。〃
Clementina brought the polonaise to Mrs。 Lander； who sat up and spread it
before her on the bed； and had a happy half hour in telling the girl
where she had bought the material and where she had it made up； and how
it came home just as she was going away； and she did not find out that it
was all wrong till a week afterwards when she tried it on。 By the end of
this time the girl had commended herself so much by judicious and
sympathetic assent； that Mrs。 Lander learned with a shock of
disappointment that her mother expected her to bring the garment home
with her； where Mrs。 Lander was to come and have it fitted over for the
alterations she wanted made。
〃But I supposed； from what Mr。 Landa said； that your motha would come
here and fit me！〃 she lamented。
〃I guess he didn't undastand； 'm。 Motha doesn't eva go out to do wo'k；〃
said Clementina gently but firmly。
〃Well； I might have known Mr。 Landa would mix it up； if it could be
mixed； 〃Mrs。 Lander's sense of injury was aggravated by her suspicion
that he had brought the girl in the hope of pleasing her； and confirming
her in the wish to have her with them； she was not a woman who liked to
have her way in spite of herself； she wished at every step to realize
that she was taking it； and that no one else was taking it for her。
〃Well；〃 she said dryly； 〃 I shall have to see about it。 I'm a good deal
of an invalid； and I don't know as I could go back and fo'th to try on。
I'm moa used to havin' the things brought to me。〃
〃Yes'm；〃 said Clementina。 She moved a little from the bed； on her way to
the door； to be ready for Mrs。 Lander in leave…taking。
〃I'm real sorry；〃 said Mrs。 Lander。 〃I presume it's a disappointment for
you； too。〃
〃Oh； not at all；〃 answered Clementina。 〃I'm sorry we can't do the wo'k
he'a； but I know mocha wouldn't like to。 Good…mo'ning；'m！〃
〃No； no！ Don't go yet a minute！ Won't you just give me my hand bag off
the bureau the'a？ 〃Mrs。 Lander entreated； and when the girl gave her the
bag she felt about among the bank…notes which she seemed to have loose in
it； and drew out a handful of them without regard to their value。
〃He'a！〃 she said； and she tried to put the notes into Clementina's hand；
〃I want you should get yourself something。〃
The girl shrank back。 〃Oh； no'm；〃 she said； with an effect of seeming to
know that her refusal would hurt； and with the wish to soften it。
〃Icouldn't； indeed I couldn't。〃
〃Why couldn't you？ Now you must！ If I can't let you have the wo'k the
way you want； I don't think it's fair； and you ought to have the money
for it just the same。〃
Clementina shook her head smiling。 〃I don't believe motha would like to
have me take it。〃
〃Oh； now； pshaw！〃 said Mrs。 Lander； inadequately。 〃I want you should
take this for youaself； and if you don't want to buy anything to wea'；
you can get something to fix your room up with。 Don't you be afraid of
robbin' us。 Land！ We got moa money！ Now you take this。〃
Mrs。 Lander reached the money as far toward Clementina as she could and
shook it in the vehemence of her desire。
〃Thank you； I couldn't take it；〃 Clementina persisted。 〃I'm afraid I
must be going； I guess I must bid you good…mo'ning。〃
〃Why； I believe the child's sca'ed of me！ But you needn't be。