I asked her if the dust never troubled
them on Gladstone Street, but she says it does not at
all; and she told all about her son's family in Hong-
Kong. I asked her if the failure of Rupee & Lac annoyed
them, and she said not at all, and I was so glad, for I
had been so afraid for them; and then she told about how
much they were enjoying Macaulay. Then I asked her if
the new anvil factory on the other side of the street did
not trouble her, and she said not at all. And when I
said, `How can that be?' she said, `Why, Julia dear, we
do not let these things trouble us, don't you see. If I
were you, I would not let such things trouble me.'"
George Haliburton laid down his knife as Julia told
the story. "Do you remember Rabia at Mecca? Yes, they
all remembered Rabia at Mecca:--
"Oh heart, weak follower of the weak,
That thou shouldst traverse land and sea;
In this far place that God to seek
Who long ago had come to thee!"
"Why should we not stay here, and not let these
things trouble us?"
Why not, indeed?
And they stayed.
ONE CENT
A CHRISTMAS STORY
DOWN
Mr. Starr rose very early that day. The sun was not
up. Yet, certainly, it was too light to strike a match.
Ah, Mr. Starr, a match may be an economy!
So it was that when, as always, the keys jingled out
from his trousers pockets upon the floor, and the money
as well, one cent rolled under the bureau unseen by Mr.
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