"I tell you she's in highstrikes," said the old woman, going down the
hall. "That's our room, 37, an' I've seen you an' your folks goin' by,
so I feel in some ways acquainted. An' if I don't find Pa, I'll be
flabbergasted myself."
"Do let us hurry," said Polly, her mind now only on Pa. So they went
down the stairs and out by the door and up the rocky path just where
the old woman said she and sister Car'line took when they went out to
see the sunrise.
"An' I wish we'd kept in bed," ejaculated Polly's companion. "I most
lost my teeth out, they chattered so; and so did Car'line hers. But
that wouldn't 'a' been nothin' to losin' Pa, cause we could 'a' got
more teeth; but how could we 'a' got him took when he was nineteen and
so handsome? There! here we stopped, just at this identical spot!"
"Well, I think we shall find it," said Polly, consolingly. "How did the
pin look?" she asked, for the first time remembering to ask, and
beginning to poke around in the crevices.
"My land sakes! I never see such a girl for wanting to be told over and
over," exclaimed the old woman, irritably, picking up first one ample
gaiter and then another to warm her cold toes in her hands. "Haven't I
told you he was awful handsome? Well, he had on his blue coat and big
brass buttons for one thing, an' his shirt front was ruffled. And--"
"Was it gold around it?" asked Polly, poking away busily.
Pages:
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239