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〃He wants me to stay here and help Labe Keeler and Issy Price。 He
wants me to spend all my life in that office of his； that's what HE
wants。 Now hold on； Helen！ I'm not saying anything against the
old fellow。 He doesn't like me； I know； but〃
〃You DON'T know。 He does like you。 Or he wants to like you very
much indeed。 He would like to have you carry on the Snow Company's
business after he has gone； but if you can'tor won'tdo that； I
know he would be very happy to see you succeed at anything
anything。〃
Albert laughed scornfully。 〃Even at writing poetry？〃 he asked。
〃Why； yes； at writing； although of course he doesn't know a thing
about it and can't understand how any one can possibly earn a
living that way。 He has read or heard about poets and authors
starving in garrets and he thinks they're all like that。 But if
you could only show him and prove to him that you could succeed by
writing； he would be prouder of you than any one else would be。 I
know it。〃
He regarded her curiously。 〃You seem to know a lot about my
grandfather；〃 he observed。
〃I do know something about him。 He and I have been friends ever
since I was a little girl； and I like him very much indeed。 If he
were my grandfather I should be proud of him。 And I think you
ought to be。〃
She flashed the last sentence at him in a sudden heat of enthusiasm。
He was surprised at her manner。
〃Gee！ You ARE strong for the old chap； aren't you？〃 he said。
〃Well； admitting that he is all right； just why should I be proud
of him？ I AM proud of my father； of course； he was somebody in the
world。〃
〃You mean he was somebody just because he was celebrated and lots
of people knew about him。 Celebrated people aren't the only ones
who do worth while things。 If I were you； I should be proud of
Captain Zelotes because he is what he has made himself。 Nobody
helped him； he did it all。 He was a sea captain and a good one。
He has been a business man and a good one； even if the business
isn't so very big。 Everybody here in South Harnissyes； and all
up and down the Capeknows of him and respects him。 My father
says in all the years he has preached in his church he has never
heard a single person as much as hint that Captain Snow wasn't
absolutely honest； absolutely brave； and the same to everybody；
rich or poor。 And all his life he has worked and worked hard。
What HE has belongs to him； he has earned it。 That's why I should
be proud of him if he were my grandfather。〃
Her enthusiasm had continued all through this long speech。 Albert
whistled。
〃Whew！〃 he exclaimed。 〃Regular cheer for Zelotes； fellows！ One
two！ Grandfather's got one person to stand up for him； I'll say
that。 But why this sudden outbreak about him； anyhow？ It was me
you were talking about in the beginningthough I didn't notice any
loud calls for cheers in that direction；〃 he added。
She ignored the last part of the speech。 〃I think you yourself
made me think of him；〃 she replied。 〃Sometimes you remind me of
him。 Not often； but once in a while。 Just now； when we were
climbing down that awful place you seemed almost exactly like him。
The way you knew just what to do all the time； and your not
hesitating a minute； and the way you took command of the situation
and；〃 with a sudden laugh； 〃bossed me around； every bit of that was
like him； and not like you at all。 Oh； I don't mean that；〃 she
added hurriedly。 〃I mean it wasn't like you as you usually are。
It was different。〃
〃Humph！ Well； I must say See here； Helen Kendall； what is it
you expect me to do； sail in and write two or three sonnets and a
'Come Into the Garden； Maud；' some time next week？ You're terribly
keen about Grandfather； but he has rather got the edge on me so far
as age goes。 He's in the sixties； and I'm just about nineteen。〃
〃When he was nineteen he was first mate of a ship。〃
〃Yes； so I've heard him say。 Maybe first…mating is a little bit
easier than writing poetry。〃
〃And maybe it isn't。 At any rate； he didn't know whether it was
easy or not until he tried。 Oh； THAT'S what I would like to see
you doTRY to do something。 You could do it； too； almost anything
you tried； I do believe。 I am confident you could。 But Oh；
well； as you said at the beginning； it isn't my business at all；
and I've said ever and ever so much more than I meant to。 Please
forgive me； if you can。 I think my tumble and all the rest must
have made me silly。 I'm sorry； Albert。 There are the steps up to
the pavilion。 See them！〃
He was tramping on beside her； his hands in his pockets。 He did
not look at the long flight of steps which had suddenly come into
view around the curve of the bluff。 When he did look up and speak
it was in a different tone； some such tone as she had heard him use
during her rescue。
〃All right；〃 he said； with decision； 〃I'll show you whether I can
try or not。 I know you think I won't； but I will。 I'm going up to
my room to…night and I'm going to try to write something or other。
It may be the rottenest poem that ever was ground out； but I'll
grind it if it kills me。〃
She was pleased； that was plain； but she shook her head。
〃Not to…night； Albert；〃 she said。 〃To…night； after the picnic； is
Father's reception at the church。 Of course you'll come to that。〃
〃Of course I won't。 Look here； you've called me lazy and
indifferent and a hundred other pet names this afternoon。 Well；
this evening I'll make you take some of 'em back。 Reception be
hanged！ I'm going to write to…night。〃
That evening both Mrs。 Snow and Rachel Ellis were much disturbed
because Albert； pleading a headache； begged off from attendance at
the reception to the Reverend Mr。 Kendall。 Either； or both ladies
would have been only too willing to remain at home and nurse the
sufferer through his attack； but he refused to permit the sacrifice
on their part。 After they had gone his headache disappeared and；
supplied with an abundance of paper； pens and ink； he sat down at
the table in his room to invoke the Muse。 The invocation lasted
until three A。 M。 At that hour； with a genuine headache； but a
sense of triumph which conquered pain； Albert climbed into bed。
Upon the table lay a poem； a six stanza poem； having these words at
its head：
TO MY LADY'S SPRING HAT
By A。 M。 Speranza。
The following forenoon he posted that poem to the editor of The
Cape Cod Item。 And three weeks later it appeared in the pages of
that journal。 Of course there was no pecuniary recompense for its
author； and the fact was indisputable that the Item was generally
only too glad to publish contributions which helped to fill its
columns。 But； nevertheless； Albert Speranza had written a poem and
that poem had been published。
CHAPTER VII
It was Rachel who first discovered 〃To My Lady's Spring Hat〃 in the
Item three weeks later。 She came rushing into the sitting room
brandishing the paper。
〃My soul！ My soul！ My soul！〃 she cried。
Olive； sitting sewing by the window； was； naturally； somewhat
startled。 〃Mercy on us； Rachel！〃 she exclaimed。 〃What IS it？〃
〃Look！〃 cried the housekeeper； pointing to the contribution in the
〃Poets' Corner〃 as Queen Isabella may have pointed at the evidence
of her proteges discovery of a new world。 〃LOOK！〃
Mrs。 Snow looked； read the verses to herself； and then aloud。
〃Why； I declare； they're real sort of pretty； ain't they？〃 she
exclaimed； in astonished admiration。
〃Pretty！ They're perfectly elegant！ And right here in the paper
for all hands to see。 Ain't you PROUD of him； Mrs。 Snow？〃
Olive had been growing more and more proud of her handsome grandson
ever since his arrival。 She was prouder still now and said so。
Rachel nodded； triumphantly。
〃He'll be a Robert Penfold afore he dies； or I miss MY guess！〃 she
declared。
She showed it to feminine acquaintances all over town； and Olive；
when callers came； took pains to see that a copy of the Item；
folded with the 〃Poets' Corner〃 uppermost； lay on the center table。
Customers； dropping in at the office； occasionally mentioned the
poem to its author。
〃See you had a piece in the Item； Al；〃 was their usual way of
referring to it。 〃Pretty cute piece 'twas； too； seemed to me。
Say； that girl of yours must have SOME spring bunnit。 Ho； ho！〃
Issachar deigned to express approval； approval qualified with
discerning criticism of course； but approval nevertheless。
〃Pretty good piece； Al；〃 he observed。 〃Pretty good。 Glad to see
you done so well。 Course you made one little mistake； but 'twan't
a very big one。 That part where you said What was it； now？
Where'd I put that piece of poetry？ Oh； yes； here 'tis！ Where you
saiderer
'It floats upon her golden curls
As froth upon the wave。'
Now of course nothin'a hat or nothin' elseis goin' to float on
top of a person's head。 Froth floatin'； that's all right； you
understand； but even if you took froth right out of the water and
slapped it up onto anybody's hair 'twouldn't FLOAT up there。 If
you'd said；
'It SETS up onto her golden curls；
Same as froth sets on top of a wave。'
that would have been all right and t