not?" cried Katharine, gaily, skipping about the kitchen in her
fanciful way at this prospect of a change. "And I'd go that cross-fields
road Monty showed me. Over the meadows amongst the goldenrod, past the
stone walls where the woodbine and clematis run over each other trying
to make the old gray rocks beautiful. There's a corn-field down beside
the river so like a picture papa painted that I can almost see his dear
hand holding the brush. And the forest is like a great palette set full
of reds and blues and greens and yellows, out of God's own color-box.
Oh, it's such a glorious old world, Susanna, and I'm so glad, so glad to
be alive!"

The widow put her arms akimbo and looked at Katharine over her
spectacles, as she might have studied some new and rather formidable
insect. Then she remarked:

"My suz! you didn't look none too peart when I first called ye. If I'd
had an opinion to give I should ha' give it that you was down in the
mouth. Well, never mind. You're a funny child, but I guess you'll make
some kind of woman if you live long enough. Hand me down that basket
from the second pantry shelf, whilst I wrop that jell-roll in a napkin.
Take notice of the basket. Eunice, she had it made to the
basket-maker's up-mountain. She's dreadful good to the basket-makers,
Eunice is."

"Widow Sprigg, I think she's 'dreadful good' to everybody--to everybody
lives. Yet she looks so sort of stern and dignified sometimes I feel
afraid of her. But it is a curious basket, truly. What--"

"Watch an' see, an' don't ask so many questions. Girls' eyes ought to
save their tongues."

The basket was beautifully woven of finest willow, and was like a tiny
cupboard in the matter of shelves, each shelf fitted with a little rim
to keep whatever might be placed upon it from slipping off. There were
six of these shelves, all removable at will, and Susanna now took out
all but two. Upon these she placed the pies, and in the larger spaces
left bestowed a monster loaf of brown bread, the jell-roll and the
butter. As there was still a small part unfilled she added a tumbler of
strained honey, covered the whole with a napkin, hooked down the lid,
and said:

"Now get your hat and jacket. See 't your shoes is tied; them silk
strings is too fancy for use. Got a handkerchief? All your buttons
fastened? Feel just comf'table everyways?"

"Yes, you dear old caretaker! I'm what Uncle Moses calls as 'right as a
trivet,' whatever that may be."

Ka