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He set his teeth and； tossing back the bed clothes； jumped to the
floor。 Then he jumped again； for the floor was like ice。 The
window was wide open and he closed it； but there was no warm
radiator to cuddle against while dressing。 He missed his
compulsory morning shower； a miss which did not distress him
greatly。 He shook himself into his clothes； soused his head and
neck in a basin of ice water poured from a pitcher； and； before
brushing his hair； looked out of the window。
It was a sharp winter morning。 The wind had gone down； but before
subsiding it had blown every trace of mist or haze from the air；
and from his window…sill to the horizon every detail was clean cut
and distinct。 He was looking out； it seemed； from the back of the
house。 The roof of the kitchen extension was below him and； to the
right； the high roof of the barn。 Over the kitchen roof and to the
left he saw little rolling hills； valleys； cranberry swamps； a
pond。 A road wound in and out and； scattered along it； were
houses； mostly white with green blinds； but occasionally varied by
the gray of unpainted； weathered shingles。 A long； low…spreading
building a half mile off looked as if it might be a summer hotel；
now closed and shuttered。 Beyond it was a cluster of gray shanties
and a gleam of water； evidently a wharf and a miniature harbor。
And； beyond that； the deep； brilliant blue of the sea。 Brown and
blue were the prevailing colors； but； here and there； clumps and
groves of pines gave splashes of green。
There was an exhilaration in the crisp air。 He felt an unwonted
liveliness and a desire to be active which would have surprised some
of his teachers at the school he had just left。 The depression of
spirits of which he had been conscious the previous night had
disappeared along with his premonitions of unpleasantness。 He felt
optimistic this morning。 After giving his curls a rake with the
comb； he opened the door and descended the steep stairs to the lower
floor。
His grandmother was setting the breakfast table。 He was a little
surprised to see her doing it。 What was the use of having servants
if one did the work oneself？ But perhaps the housekeeper was ill。
〃Good morning；〃 he said。
Mrs。 Snow； who had not heard him enter； turned and saw him。 When
he crossed the room； she kissed him on the cheek。
〃Good morning； Albert；〃 she said。 〃I hope you slept well。〃
Albert replied that he had slept very well indeed。 He was a trifle
disappointed that she made no comment on his promptness in answering
his grandfather's summons。 He felt such promptness deserved
commendation。 At school they rang two bells at ten minute intervals；
thus giving a fellow a second chance。 It had been a point of senior
etiquette to accept nothing but that second chance。 Here；
apparently； he was expected to jump at the first。 There was a
matter of course about his grandmother's attitude which was
disturbing。
She went on setting the table； talking as she did so。
〃I'm real glad you did sleep；〃 she said。 〃Some folks can hardly
ever sleep the first night in a strange room。 ZelotesI mean your
grandpa's gone out to see to the horse and feed the hens and the
pig。 He'll be in pretty soon。 Then we'll have breakfast。 I
suppose you're awful hungry。〃
As a matter of fact he was not very hungry。 Breakfast was always a
more or less perfunctory meal with him。 But he was surprised to
see the variety of eatables upon that table。 There were cookies
there； and doughnuts； and even half an apple pie。 Pie for
breakfast！ It had been a newspaper joke at which he had laughed
many times。 But it seemed not to be a joke here； rather a solemn
reality。
The kitchen door opened and Mrs。 Ellis put in her head。 To
Albert's astonishment the upper part of the head； beginning just
above the brows； was swathed in a huge bandage。 The lower part was
a picture of hopeless misery。
〃Has Cap'n Lote come in yet？〃 inquired the housekeeper； faintly。
〃Not yet； Rachel；〃 replied Mrs。 Snow。 〃He'll be here in a minute；
though。 Albert's down； so you can begin takin' up the things。〃
The head disappeared。 A sigh of complete wretchedness drifted in
as the door closed。 Albert looked at his grandmother in alarm。
〃Is she sick？〃 he faltered。
〃Who？ Rachel？ No； she ain't exactly sick 。 。 。 Dear me！ Where
did I put that clean napkin？〃
The boy stared at the kitchen door。 If his grandmother had said
the housekeeper was not exactly dead he might have understood。 But
to say she was not exactly sick
〃Butbut what makes her look so？〃 he stammered。 〃Andand what's
she got that on her head for？ And she groaned！ Why； she MUST be
sick！〃
Mrs。 Snow； having found the clean napkin； laid it beside her
husband's plate。
〃No；〃 she said calmly。 〃It's one of her sympathetic attacks；
that's what she calls 'em； sympathetic attacks。 She has 'em every
time Laban Keeler starts in on one of his periodics。 It's nerves；
I suppose。 Cap'n Zelotesyour grandfathersays it's everlastin'
foolishness。 Whatever 'tis； it's a nuisance。 And she's so
sensible other times； too。〃
Albert was more puzzled than ever。 Why in the world Mrs。 Ellis
should tie up her head and groan because the little Keeler person
had gone on a spree was beyond his comprehension。
His grandmother enlightened him a trifle。
〃You see；〃 she went on； 〃she and Laban have been engaged to be
married ever since they were young folks。 It's Laban's weakness
for liquor that's kept 'em apart so long。 She won't marry him
while he drinks and he keeps swearin' off and then breaking down。
He's a good man； too； an awful good man and capable as all get…out
when he's sober。 Lately that is； for the last seven or eight
years； beginnin' with the time when that lecturer on mesmerism and
telegraphyno； telepathythought…transfers and suchwas at the
town hallRachel has been havin' these sympathetic attacks of
hers。 She declares that alcohol…takin' is a disease and that Laban
suffers when he's tipsy and that she and he are so bound up
together that she suffers just the same as he does。 I must say I
never noticed him sufferin' very much； not at the beginnin；'
anyhowacts more as he was havin' a good timebut she seems to。
I don't wonder you smile；〃 she added。 〃'Tis funny； in a way； and
it's queer that such a practical； common…sense woman as Rachel
Ellis is； should have such a notion。 It's hard on us； though。
Don't say anything to her about it； and don't laugh at her；
whatever you do。〃
Albert wanted to laugh very much。 〃But； Mrs。 Snow〃 he began。
〃Mercy sakes alive！ You ain't goin' to call me 'Mrs。 Snow；' I
hope。〃
〃No； of course not。 But； Grandmother why do you and Captainyou
and Grandfather keep her and Keeler if they are so much trouble？
Why don't you let them go and get someone else？〃
〃Let 'em go？ Get someone else！ Why； we COULDN'T get anybody else；
anyone who would be like them。 They're almost a part of our
family； that is； Rachel is； she's been here since goodness knows
when。 And； when he's sober Laban almost runs the lumber business。
Besides； they're nice folksalmost always。〃
Plainly the ways of South Harniss were not the ways of the world he
had known。 Certainly these people were 〃Rubes〃 and queer Rubes；
too。 Then he remembered that two of them were his grandparents and
that his immediate future was； so to speak； in their hands。 The
thought was not entirely comforting or delightful。 He was still
pondering upon it when his grandfather came in from the barn。
The captain said good morning in the same way he had said good
night； that is； he and Albert shook hands and the boy was again
conscious of the gaze which took him in from head to foot and of
the quiet twinkle in the gray eyes。
〃Sleep well； son？〃 inquired Captain Zelotes。
〃Yes 。 。 。 Yes； sir。〃
〃That's good。 I judged you was makin' a pretty good try at it when
I thumped on your door this mornin'。 Somethin' new for you to be
turned out at seven； eh？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃Eh？ It wasn't？〃
〃No； sir。 The rising bell rang at seven up at school。 We were
supposed to be down at breakfast at a quarter past。〃
〃Humph！ You were； eh？ Supposed to be？ Does that mean that you
were there？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
There was a surprised look in the gray eyes now； a fact which
Albert noticed with inward delight。 He had taken one 〃rise〃 out
of his grandfather； at any rate。 He waited； hoping for another
opportunity； but it did not come。 Instead they sat down to
breakfast。
Breakfast； in spite of the morning sunshine at the windows； was
somewhat gloomy。 The homesickness； although not as acute as on the
previous night； was still in evidence。 Albert felt lost； out of
his element； lonely。 And； to add a touch of real miserableness；
the housekeeper served and ate like a near relative of the deceased
at a funeral feast。 She moved slowly； she sighed heavily； and the
bandage upon her forehead loomed large and portentous。 When spoken
to she seldom replied before the third attempt。 Captain Zelotes
lost patience。
〃Have another egg？〃 he roared； brandishing the spoon containing it
at arm's length and almost under her nose。 〃Egg！ Egg！ EGG！ If