'twas neat as a ship's cabin. There was some old chairs, an' a seat
made of a long box that might have held boat tackle an' things to lock
up in his fishin' days, and a good enough stove so anybody could cook
and keep warm in cold weather. I went over once from home and stayed
'most a week with Joanna when we was girls, and those young happy days
rose up before me. Her father was busy all day fishin' or clammin'; he
was one o' the pleasantest men in the world, but Joanna's mother had the
grim streak, and never knew what 'twas to be happy. The first minute my
eyes fell upon Joanna's face that day I saw how she had grown to look
like Mis' Todd. 'Twas the mother right over again."

"Oh dear me!" said Mrs. Fosdick.

"Joanna had done one thing very pretty. There was a little piece o'
swamp on the island where good rushes grew plenty, and she'd gathered
'em, and braided some beautiful mats for the floor and a thick cushion
for the long bunk. She'd showed a good deal of invention; you see
there was a nice chance to pick up pieces o' wood and boards that drove
ashore, and she'd made good use o' what she found. There wasn't no
clock, but she had a few dishes on a shelf, and flowers set about in
shells fixed to the walls, so it did look sort of homelike, though so
lonely and poor. I couldn't keep the tears out o' my eyes, I felt so
sad. I said to myself, I must get mother to come over an' see Joanna;
the love in mother's heart would warm her, an' she might be able to
advise."

"Oh no, Joanna was dreadful stern," said Mrs. Fosdick.

"We were all settin' down very proper, but Joanna would keep stealin'
glances at me as if she was glad I come. She had but little to say; she
was real polite an' gentle, and yet forbiddin'. The minister found it
hard," confessed Mrs. Todd; "he got embarrassed, an' when he put on his
authority and asked her if she felt to enjoy religion in her present
situation, an' she replied that she must be excused from answerin', I
thought I should fly. She might have made it easier for him; after all,
he was the minister and had taken some trouble to come out, though 'twas
kind of cold an' unfeelin' the way he inquired. I thought he might have
seen the little old Bible a-layin' on the shelf close by him, an' I
wished he knew enough to just lay his hand on it an' read somethin'
kind an' fatherly 'stead of accusin' her, an' then given poor Joanna his
blessin' with the hope she might be led to comfort. He did off