reen of bayberry bushes here
and there, where the rocks made room. The air was very sweet; one could
not help wishing to be a citizen of such a complete and tiny continent
and home of fisherfolk.

The house was broad and clean, with a roof that looked heavy on its low
walls. It was one of the houses that seem firm-rooted in the ground, as
if they were two-thirds below the surface, like icebergs. The front door
stood hospitably open in expectation of company, and an orderly
vine grew at each side; but our path led to the kitchen door at the
house-end, and there grew a mass of gay flowers and greenery, as if they
had been swept together by some diligent garden broom into a tangled
heap: there were portulacas all along under the lower step and
straggling off into the grass, and clustering mallows that crept as near
as they dared, like poor relations. I saw the bright eyes and brainless
little heads of two half-grown chickens who were snuggled down among the
mallows as if they had been chased away from the door more than once,
and expected to be again.

"It seems kind o' formal comin' in this way," said Mrs. Todd
impulsively, as we passed the flowers and came to the front doorstep;
but she was mindful of the proprieties, and walked before us into the
best room on the left.

"Why, mother, if you haven't gone an' turned the carpet!" she exclaimed,
with something in her voice that spoke of awe and admiration. "When'd
you get to it? I s'pose Mis' Addicks come over an' helped you, from
White Island Landing?"

"No, she didn't," answered the old woman, standing proudly erect, and
making the most of a great moment. "I done it all myself with William's
help. He had a spare day, an' took right holt with me; an' 'twas all
well beat on the grass, an' turned, an' put down again afore we went to
bed. I ripped an' sewed over two o' them long breadths. I ain't had such
a good night's sleep for two years."

"There, what do you think o' havin' such a mother as that for eighty-six
year old?" said Mrs. Todd, standing before us like a large figure of
Victory.

As for the mother, she took on a sudden look of youth; you felt as if
she promised a great future, and was beginning, not ending, her summers
and their happy toils.

"My, my!" exclaimed Mrs. Todd. "I couldn't ha' done it myself, I've got
to own it."

"I was much pleased to have it off my mind," said Mrs. Blackett, humbly;
"the more so because along at the first of the next week