第46章

Motherlooked，andshehadtoseehowitwaswithhim；nodoubtshesawmorethanIdidfromhavingbeenthroughitherself，soshesmiledkindofahalf-sad，half-gladsmile。Thensheturnedtoherdamaskrosebush，theoneLucybroughtherfromthecity，andthatshewassopreciousabout，thatnoneofusdaredtouchit，andshesearchedalloveritandcarefullyselectedthemostperfectrose。WhensheborrowedLaddie’sknifeandcutthestemaslongasmyarm，Iknewexactlyhowgreatandsolemntheoccasionwas；foralwaysbeforeaboutsixincheshadbeenherlimit。Sheheldittowardhim，smilingbravelyandbeautifully，butthetearswererunningstraightdownhercheeks。

“Takeittoher，“shesaid。“Ithink，myson，itisverylike。“

Laddietookherinhisarmsandwipedawaythetears；hetoldhereverythingwouldcomeoutallrightaboutGod，andthemystery，even。Thenhepickedmeclearofftheground，andhetriedtoseehownearhecouldcometocrackingeveryboneinmybodywithoutreallydoingit，andhekissedmeoverandover。Ithadn’tbeensoeasy，butIguessyou’lladmitthatpaid。Thenherodeawaywiththedamaskrosewavingoverhisheart。MotherandIstoodbesidethehitchingrackandlookedafterhim，withourarmstightaroundeachotherwhilewetriedtoseewhichonecouldbawlthehardest。

CHAPTERXVI

TheHomingPigeon“Amillstoneandthehumanheart，Areeverdrivenround，Andifthey’venothingelsetogrind，Theymustthemselvesbeground。“

Itseemedtomethatmymotherwasthepersonwhoreallycouldhavebeenexcusedforhavinghearttrouble。ThemoreIwatchedher，themoreIwonderedthatshedidn’t。Therewasherownlife，theonesheandfatherled，whereeverythingwentexactlyasshewanteditto；andiftherehadbeenonlythemselvestothinkof，nopeopleonearthcouldhavelivedhappier，unlessthepainshesometimessufferedmadethemtrouble，andIdon’tthinkitwould，forneitherofthemweretoblameforthat。Theycouldn’thelpit。Theyjusthadittostand，andfightthestiffesttheycouldtocureit，andmotheralwayssaidshewasbetter；everysingletimeanyoneasked，shewasbetter。Ihopedsoonitwouldallbegone。Thentheycouldhavebeenhappyforsure，ifsomeofushadn’tpoppedupandkepttheminhotwaterallthetime。

Ican’ttellyouaboutLaddiewhenhecamebackfromPryors’。Hetoredownthehouse，thentoreitup，andthenthrewaroundthepieces，andnoneofuscared。Everyonewasjustlaughing，shouting，andeverybitaspleasedashewas，whileIwastheQueenBee。Laddiesaidso，himself，andifhedidn’tknow，noonedid。Pryorshadbeenlovelytohim。Whenmotheraskedhimhowhemadeit，heanswered：“Irodeover，pickedupthePrincessandhelpedmyself。AfterIfinished，Irememberedthelittleunnecessaryformalityofaskinghertomarryme；andshesaidrightoutloudthatsheWOULD。WhenIhadtimeforthem，I

reachedFatherandMotherPryor，andmaybeitdoesn’tshow，butsomewhereonmypersonIcarrytheirblessing，geniallyandheartilygiven，Iamproudtostate。Now，I’monlyneedingyours，tomakemeakingamongmen。“

Theygaveitquiteaswillingly，Iamsure，althoughyoucouldseemotherscringewhenLaddiesaid“FatherandMotherPryor。“I

knewwhy。SheadoredLaddie，liketheBiblesaysyoumustadoretheAlmighty。FromatinybabyLaddiehadtakencareofher。Heusedtogoback，takeherhand，andtrytohelpheroverroughplaceswhilehestillworedresses。Straighton，hehadbeenlikethat；alwaysseeingwhentherewastoomuchworkandtryingtoshieldher；alwaysknowingwhenapainwascomingandfightingtoheaditoff；alwaysrememberingthethingstheothersforgot，goingtoherlastatnight，andhisfaceagainsthersonherpillowthefirstinthemorning，tolearnhowshewasbeforeheleftthehouse。Ifyouwerethemotherofamanlikethat，howwouldyouliketohearhimcallsomeoneelsemother，andhavethewordslipfromhistonguesoslickyoucouldseehedidn’tevenrealizethathehadusedit？Theanswerwouldbe，ifyouwerehonest，thatyouwouldn’thavelikeditanymorethanshedid。Sheknewhehadtogo。Shewantedhimtobehappy。ShewasassureofthemanhewasgoingtobeasshewassureofthemercyofGod。ThatisthestrongestwayIknowtotellit。ShewasunshakablysureofthemercyofGod，butIwasn’t。ThereweretimeswhenitseemedasifHecouldn’thearthemostpowerfulprayeryoucouldpray，andwheninsteadofmercy，youseemedtogetthelasttormentthatcouldbepiledon。Takerightnow。Laddiewashappy，andallofuswere，inaway；andinanotherwewerealmoststiffwithmisery。

Idreadedhisleavingusso，Iwouldsliptothehawkoakandcrymyselfsick，morethanonce；whetheranyoftheotherswerethatbigbabiesIdon’tknow；butanyway，THEYwerenothisLittleSister。Iwas。Ialwayshadbeen。Ialwayswouldbe，forthatmatter；buttherewasgoingtobeamightybigdifference。IhadthepoorcomfortthatI’ddonethethingmyself。Maybeifithadn’tbeenforstoppingthePrincesswhenItookhimthatpie，theyneverwouldhavemadeup，andshemighthavegoneacrosstheseaandstayedthere。Maybeshe’dgoyet，asmysteriouslyasshehadcome，andtakehimalong。SometimesIalmostwishedIhadn’ttriedtohelphim；butofcourseIdidn’treally。Then

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