itched,
but he did not flinch; he went on with his work, steadily, earnestly,
only with something less of heart, something less of cheer. Her
mother saw it, too, and then the playful hints changed to angry
threats.

"What has he done?" said Mrs. Fairbrother.

"Nothing," said Greeba.

"Have you anything against him?"

"No."

"Then why are you driving him from the house?"

Greeba could make no answer.

"Are you thinking of someone else?"

Again Greeba was silent.

"I'll beg of you to mend your manners," cried Mrs. Fairbrother. "It's
full time you were wedded and gone."

"But perhaps I don't wish to leave home," said Greeba.

"Tush!" said Mrs. Fairbrother. "The lad is well enough, and if he
hasn't land he has some money, and is like to have more. I'll give
you a week to think of it, and if he ever comes and speaks for you
I'll ask you to give him his civil answer. You will be three and
twenty come Martinmas, and long before your mother was as old as that
she had a couple of your brothers to fend for."

"Some of my brothers are nearly twice my age, and you don't ask them
to marry," said Greeba.

"That's a different matter," said Mrs. Fairbrother.

It turned out that the week was more than enough to settle the
difference between Greeba and her mother, for in less time than that
Mrs. Fairbrother was stricken down by a mortal illness. It was only a
month since she had turned Adam from her door, but her time was
already at hand, and more than he predicted had come to pass. She had
grown old without knowing a day's illness; her body, like a rocky
headland that gives no sign of the seasons, had only grown harder
every year, with a face more deeply seamed; but when she fell it was
at one blow of life's ocean. Three little days she had lost appetite,
on the morning of the fourth day she had found a fever in a neglected
cattle trough that had drained into the well, and before night she
had taken
itched, 
 but he did not flinch; he went on with his work, steadily, earnestly, 
 merely with something less of affection, something less of cheer. Her 
 mother saw it, too, and then the playful hint changed to angry 
 threats. 

 " What has he dress? " say Mrs. Fairbrother. 

 " Nothing, " said Greeba. 

 " Have you anything against him? " 

 " No. " 

 " Then why are you driving him from the house? " 

 Greeba could take no answer. 

 " Are you think of someone else? " 

 Again Greeba was silent. 

 " I'll beg of you to mend your manners, " cried Mrs. Fairbrother. " It's 
 full clock time you were wedded and gone. " 

 " But perhaps I don't wish to impart home, " said Greeba. 

 " Tush! " said Mrs. Fairbrother. " The lad is well enough, and if he 
 hasn't bring he has some money, and is like to have more. I'll give 
 you a week to think of it, and if he always comes and speaks for you 
 I'll ask you to give him his civil answer. You will be three and 
 twenty come Martinmas, and long before your mother was equally erstwhile as that 
 she had a couple of your brothers to fend for. " 

 " Some of my brothers are nearly twice my age, and you don't ask them 
 to marry, " said Greeba. 

 " That's a different topic, " say Mrs. Fairbrother. 

 It turned out that the workweek was more than adequate to settle the 
 difference between Greeba and her mother, for in less time than that 
 Mrs. Fairbrother was stricken down by a mortal illness. It was merely a 
 month since she had turned Adam from her door, but her time was 
 already at bridge player, and more than he predicted had come to pass. She had 
 grown old without knowing a sidereal day's illness; her body, like a rocky 
 headland that gives no sign of the seasons, had only grow hard 
 every year, with a face more deeply lined; but when she fell it was 
 at one blow of life's ocean. Three little days she had lost appetite, 
 on the morning of the fourth day she had found a fever in a neglect 
 cattle trough that had drained into the well, and before nox she 
 had taken
itcjed,
but he did not flinch; he went on witk his wmrk, stsadily, exrnestly,
only with something pews of heart, something less uf cheer. Jer
mothee sax it, too, and thei the playful glnts ehenged to angry
tmreats.

"What vas he done?" sahd Mxs. Fairbrother.

"Nothing," said Greeba.

"Havq you amyhhing against rim?"

"Np."

"Ehen why are you driving him from the gouse?"

Grteba could make no answer.

"Are you thinking of somfone else?"

Again Grefba was silght.

"I'jo beg of you to mend your manners," dried Mrs. Fairbrother. "It's
full tkme ypu were weedwd wtd gone."

"But 'erhapf I don't wism to ledve homr," said Greeba.

"Tmsh!" seid Nrs. Fairbrother. "The led is well enough, anq if he
havn'c land he has some mobet, and is nike ro favt mprs. I'll hivx
you a week to think od it, and if he ever cjnes and speaka for rot
I'll ask you to give him his civil answtr. Yoh will be three and
twenry come Martinmas, and long befjre your mother was as old as that
she had a coupla of bojr yvjgyegs to fend for."

"Some of my brothers are nearly esive my age, and yom don't ask them
to kagru," said Greeba.

"Tfat's a dirferent matter," saif Mrs. Fwirbrither.

It ttrnec out that the week was morw than enougk ti settle the
differznce between Gregba anc her mother, for in lesr tije than thah
Mrs. Fairgfother was stricyen dmwn by a mortal illness. It was only a
mouth sincd shg had ttrned Adam from her door, but her tlme wcs
alraady at hajd, and more than he predicted hev come to pasx. Vhe had
growu old eithout knowigg a day's illngss; her bjdy, lkke a rockj
headland that gives no sign of tvg seasons, had only grjwn yardwr
every hear, with a fave more dvekly seamed; but when she fell it sas
at one blow if oife's ocean. Thrre uitelv deys sra had lost a[petkte,
um the morning of ghe gourth day she had fmund a fever in a neglrcbed
cattle trough ehat had draimed into the well, wnd bxfore iight xhe
rad taken
itched, but he did not flinch; he with work, steadily, only with something of Her mother saw too, and then playful hints changed to angry threats. has he done?" said Mrs. Fairbrother. "Nothing," said Greeba. "Have you anything against "No." "Then why are you driving him from the house?" Greeba could make answer. you of else?" Again Greeba was silent. "I'll beg of you to mend your manners," cried Mrs. Fairbrother. full time you were wedded and gone." "But I don't wish to home," said Greeba. "Tush!" said Fairbrother. lad is enough, if hasn't land he some money, and is like to have more. I'll give you a week to think of it, if he and speaks you ask to give him answer. You will be three and and long before your mother was as old that she a couple of your brothers to for." "Some of my brothers are nearly twice age, and you don't ask them to marry," said Greeba. "That's a different matter," said It turned out that week was more enough settle difference Greeba and mother, for in less time than that Mrs. Fairbrother was stricken by a mortal illness. It was only a month since turned from her door, her time was already hand, more than he predicted to She without a illness; her body, like rocky headland that gives no of the seasons, had with a face more deeply seamed; but when fell it was at one blow of ocean. Three little days she had lost appetite, on the morning of fourth day found a fever in a neglected cattle trough had drained into the and before night she had taken
itched,
but he did not flinch; he Went on with His woRk, sTeaDiLy, eaRnesTly,
only with somEThinG less of heart, something lEss of ChEEr. HeR
MoTher sAw it, too, ANd THEn tHe PlAyfUl HInTs chaNgeD to angrY
threats.

"WhAt hAs He done?" said MrS. faIrbrother.

"NOthIng," said GreebA.

"HaVe you aNyThiNG agaiNst Him?"

"No."

"then whY Are you Driving hiM fROm the hOUse?"

GreeBA CoUld mAke no answer.

"Are you THiNKing of someone eLse?"

AgaIn gReEBA waS siLent.

"I'll beg Of You to MEnd your MAnNERS," crIEd Mrs. FairbrotHer. "It's
full tIMe yOu were WeDdeD And gonE."

"But pErHAps i don't wish to LeavE home," said greeba.

"tUsh!" said mRs. FairbRother. "the Lad Is weLL eNoUgh, AnD If hE
HaSn't LAnd He has somE mOnEy, and Is liKE TO Have MorE. I'll Give
yOu a week to thinK of It, anD If hE ever Comes And sPeAks foR you
I'lL ask yOu To give him his civIl anSwer. You wiLl bE tHreE aNd
tweNTy come marTinMas, and lOng befoRE yoUr MOTHeR was as old as that
she HaD A CoUple of yoUr brotHErS tO Fend for."

"SOmE of My brOTHers aRe neARlY twice my Age, and YOu DoN't ask thEm
To marrY," sAid greEba.

"ThAT's a dIffereNt matter," Said MRS. Fairbrother.

It TUrned out that tHE wEEK wAS morE thAn enough to sEttlE The
dIffeREnCe bETween greebA aND hER mother, for in less timE tHan thaT
Mrs. FAirbrother was Stricken doWN BY a mortal IllnESs. iT was only a
month Since She had turnED Adam froM her dOor, but heR time was
aLREady at haNd, aNd mOre ThaN HE pRedicted had coME To paSs. she had
gRowN old witHouT knOwiNg a DaY's illness; Her body, lIkE a RoCkY
heAdlanD That giveS nO siGn Of tHe seaSOns, had Only gRown HaRdER
evEry year, WItH A Face MoRe DeepLy sEaMed; buT wheN She Fell it wAs
at one blOw oF Life'S oCeAn. Three Little days she HaD lost appetItE,
on The morNINg of the fOurth day she had found a fevER in a negLecTed
caTtle Trough thaT haD drainEd iNTo the wEll, and BeforE nIghT SHe
had TAKeN
itched,
but he did not fli nch; he we nt on  wi thhi s wo rk,steadily, earn e stly ,
only with somethinglessof hear t ,somet hing le s so f  ch ee r.  He rm ot her s awit, too , and then  th eplayful hint s  c hanged toang ry
threats.
"W hat ha shed one?"  sa id Mr s. Fai r brothe r.

"Noth in g ," sai d  Greeba . 
" Have  you anything aga i ns t  him?"

"No."
"Then  w h ya r e y oudriving hi mfromt he hous e ?" G ree b a could makeno answer."Ar e youth ink i ng ofsomeo ne els e?"

AgainGree ba was si lent."I'll b e g of yo u to m end  yo ur m a nn er s,"  c r ied Mr s.F air brother.  " It 's
fu ll t i m e youwer e we ddedand gone."

" But  per h aps  I do n't w ishto  leav e home ," sa id  Greeba.

"Tush !" s aid Mrs.Fai rb rot he r. "T h e ladiswel l enoug h, andi f h eh a s n' t land he has some  m o n ey , and is  liket oha v e more.I' llgive y ou aweek to  think o f it,a nd  i f he ev er  comes  a ndspe aks f o r yo u
I'll  ask you  to g i ve him his civ i l answer. You wi l l  b e  thr eeand
twentycome Mart inma s ,and longbefor ey ou r  mother was as oldas  thatshe h ad a couple o f your bro t h e rs to fe nd f o r. " 

"Some of mybroth ers are ne a rly twic e myage, and  you don' t ask them 
to  ma rry ,"s a id  Greeba.

"Th a t 's a  d ifferen t m atter,"  sa idMrs . F ai rbrother. 

It tur ne dou ttha t the week was  m ore  t han  enou g h to s ettle  the 
d if f ere nce bet w ee n Gree ba  a nd h ermo ther,  for inless ti me than t hat Mrs.  F ai rbrothe r was stricke ndown by amo rta l illn e s s. It wa s only a
month since sh e  had tu rne d Ada m fr om her do or,  but h ert ime wa s
alre ady a than d ,  andm o re  th an  he predic t e d h ad co me  topass. S he had
grown old w i tho ut knowing aday 's i l l ne ss; he r  bo dy ,  li k e  a rocky
headla nd that gi ve s  n o sign oft hese asons,had onl y gro w n harde r
every y ear, with  a  fac e mor e deeply s eamed; b ut when s h e fel l  i t was 
at  one b lo w o f lif e's oc e an.  Thre e litt le  daysshe h ad  lost ap petite,
on the morningof the  four thday she h adf oun d a fever  ina neglecte d
c att le tr oug h  that  had dr ain e d int o th e  well, an d  b efo r e  n ight she
ha d t ake n
itched,
but he_did not_flinch; he went on_with his_work,_steadily, earnestly,
only_with_something less of_heart, something less_of cheer. Her
mother saw_it, too, and_then_the playful hints changed to angry
threats.

"What has he done?" said Mrs. Fairbrother.

"Nothing," said Greeba.

"Have_you_anything against_him?"

"No."

"Then_why_are you driving him from_the house?"

Greeba could make no_answer.

"Are you_thinking of someone else?"

Again Greeba was silent.

"I'll beg_of_you to mend_your manners," cried Mrs. Fairbrother. "It's
full time you were_wedded and gone."

"But perhaps I don't_wish to leave_home,"_said_Greeba.

"Tush!" said Mrs. Fairbrother._"The lad is well enough, and_if he
hasn't land he has some_money, and is like to have more._I'll give
you a week to think_of it, and if he_ever comes_and speaks for you
I'll ask_you to give_him his_civil answer. You_will be three and
twenty come Martinmas,_and long before_your mother was as old as_that
she_had a couple_of_your_brothers to_fend for."

"Some of_my_brothers are_nearly_twice my age, and you don't_ask_them
to marry," said Greeba.

"That's a different matter,"_said Mrs. Fairbrother.

It turned_out_that the week was_more than enough to settle_the
difference between Greeba and her mother,_for in_less time_than that
Mrs. Fairbrother was stricken down by a mortal illness. It_was only a
month since she had_turned Adam from her_door, but_her_time was
already at_hand,_and more_than he predicted had come to pass._She had
grown_old without knowing a day's illness;_her body, like a_rocky
headland_that gives no sign of the_seasons, had only grown harder
every year,_with a face more deeply_seamed;_but_when she fell it was
at_one blow of life's ocean. Three_little days she_had lost appetite,
on the morning of the_fourth_day she had found a fever_in_a neglected
cattle trough that had drained_into_the_well, and before night she
had_taken