第67章

Jowasaloneinthetwilight，lyingontheoldsofa，lookingatthefire，andthinking。Itwasherfavoritewayofspendingthehourofdusk。Noonedisturbedher，andsheusedtoliethereonBeth’slittleredpillow，planningstories，dreamingdreams，orthinkingtenderthoughtsofthesisterwhoneverseemedfaraway。Herfacelookedtired，grave，andrathersad，fortomorrowwasherbirthday，andshewasthinkinghowfasttheyearswentby，howoldshewasgetting，andhowlittlesheseemedtohaveaccomplished。Almosttwenty-five，andnothingtoshowforit。Jowasmistakeninthat。Therewasagooddealtoshow，andby-and-byshesaw，andwasgratefulforit。

“Anoldmaid，that’swhatI’mtobe。Aliteraryspinster，withapenforaspouse，afamilyofstoriesforchildren，andtwentyyearshenceamorseloffame，perhaps，when，likepoorJohnson，I’moldandcan’tenjoyit，solitary，andcan’tshareit，independent，anddon’tneedit。Well，Ineedn’tbeasoursaintnoraselfishsinner，and，Idaresay，oldmaidsareverycomfortablewhentheygetusedtoit，but……“AndthereJosighed，asiftheprospectwasnotinviting。

Itseldomis，atfirst，andthirtyseemstheendofallthingstofive-and-twenty。Butit’snotasbadasitlooks，andonecangetonquitehappilyifonehassomethinginone’sselftofallbackupon。Attwenty-five，girlsbegintotalkaboutbeingoldmaids，butsecretlyresolvethattheyneverwillbe。Atthirtytheysaynothingaboutit，butquietlyacceptthefact，andifsensible，consolethemselvesbyrememberingthattheyhavetwentymoreuseful，happyyears，inwhichtheymaybelearningtogrowoldgracefully。Don’tlaughatthespinsters，deargirls，foroftenverytender，tragicromancesarehiddenawayintheheartsthatbeatsoquietlyunderthesobergowns，andmanysilentsacrificesofyouth，health，ambition，loveitself，makethefadedfacesbeautifulinGod’ssight。Eventhesad，soursistersshouldbekindlydealtwith，becausetheyhavemissedthesweetestpartoflife，iffornootherreason。Andlookingatthemwithcompassion，notcontempt，girlsintheirbloomshouldrememberthattheytoomaymisstheblossomtime。Thatrosycheeksdon’tlastforever，thatsilverthreadswillcomeinthebonniebrownhair，andthat，by-and-by，kindnessandrespectwillbeassweetasloveandadmirationnow。

Gentlemen，whichmeansboys，becourteoustotheoldmaids，nomatterhowpoorandplainandprim，fortheonlychivalryworthhavingisthatwhichisthereadiesttopaydeferencetotheold，protectthefeeble，andservewomankind，regardlessofrank，age，orcolor。Justrecollectthegoodauntswhohavenotonlylecturedandfussed，butnursedandpetted，toooftenwithoutthanks，thescrapestheyhavehelpedyououtof，thetipstheyhavegivenyoufromtheirsmallstore，thestitchesthepatientoldfingershavesetforyou，thestepsthewillingoldfeethavetaken，andgratefullypaythedearoldladiesthelittleattentionsthatwomenlovetoreceiveaslongastheylive。Thebright-eyedgirlsarequicktoseesuchtraits，andwilllikeyouallthebetterforthem，andifdeath，almosttheonlypowerthatcanpartmotherandson，shouldrobyouofyours，youwillbesuretofindatenderwelcomeandmaternalcherishingfromsomeAuntPriscilla，whohaskeptthewarmestcornerofherlonelyoldheartfor`thebestnevvyintheworld’。

Jomusthavefallenasleep(asIdaresaymyreaderhasduringthislittlehomily)，forsuddenlyLaurie’sghostseemedtostandbeforeher，asubstantial，lifelikeghost，leaningoverherwiththeverylookheusedtowearwhenhefeltagooddealanddidn’tliketoshowit。But，likeJennyintheballad……

Shecouldnotthinkithe，andlaystaringupathiminstartledsilence，tillhestoopedandkissedher。Thensheknewhim，andflewup，cryingjoyfully……

“OhmyTeddy!OhmyTeddy!“

“DearJo，youaregladtoseeme，then？“

“Glad!Myblessedboy，wordscan’texpressmygladness。

Where’sAmy？“

“YourmotherhasgotherdownatMeg’s。Westoppedtherebytheway，andtherewasnogettingmywifeoutoftheirclutches。“

“Yourwhat？“criedJo，forLaurieutteredthosetwowordswithanunconsciousprideandsatisfactionwhichbetrayedhim。

“Oh，thedickens!NowI’vedoneit。“AndhelookedsoguiltythatJowasdownonhimlikeaflash。

“You’vegoneandgotmarried!“

“Yes，please，butIneverwillagain。“Andhewentdownuponhisknees，withapenitentclaspingofhands，andafacefullofmischief，mirth，andtriumph。

“Actuallymarried？“

“Verymuchso，thankyou。“

“Mercyonus。Whatdreadfulthingwillyoudonext？“AndJofellintoherseatwithagasp。

“Acharacteristic，butnotexactlycomplimentary，congratulation，“

returnedLaurie，stillinanabjectattitude，butbeamingwithsatisfaction。

“Whatcanyouexpect，whenyoutakeone’sbreathaway，creepinginlikeaburglar，andlettingcatsou