ppy to take in the rest of what was did. Sometimes they is
a kinder pride swell in a mother's heart that rises right up and talks
to her soul in psalm words, and I heard mine that day." Mother's eyes
softened and looked far away across to the blue hills.

"What did he do when he saw you?" asked Miss Wingate gently.

"Oh, I didn't pay much attention to him when he come up to me, or let
on how I felt. That sweet child next to me had done found out I was his
mother, I couldn't help telling her. And then she had sent for her
father, who was the head Dean man, and about the time Tom came up, he
was there shaking hands with me and telling me how proud the whole
University was of Tom and about the great scholarship for him to go to
New York to study he had got, and that he must go. It didn't take me
hardly two seconds to think a mortgage on the house and fifty acres,
the cows and all, so I answered right up on time that go he should.
While I was a-talking Tom had gave the bokay from Providence to the
girl, what he had been knowing all the time at her father's house. And
she had her nose buried in one of Mis' Peavey's pink peonys, a-blushing
as pretty as you please over it at that country bumpkin of mine with
all his fine manners. That Miss Alford is one of the most sweet girls
you ever have saw. She and me have been friends ever since. She comes
out to see me in her ottermobile sometimes. She ain't down to the City
now, for I had a picture card from some place out West from her, but
when she comes back I'm a-going to ask her to come up and have a
stay-a-week-in-the-house party for you; and she can bring her brother.
You might like him. The four of you can have some nice junketings
together. Won't that be fine?"

"Y-e-s," answered the singer lady slowly, "but I'm afraid I'm not able
now to interest anybody, and my voice, when I speak--I--I--Will it be
soon?" Her question had a trace of positive anxiety in it and her joy
was most evidently forced.

"Oh, not till June rose time! And your voice now sounds like a angel's
with a bad cold. I'll tell Tom about it, he'll be so pleased. Her
father was such a friend to him and as proud of him now as can be."

"Did Doctor Mayberry stay in the City--after his graduation?" asked
Miss Wingate, a trace of anxiety in her voice.

"That he didn't! He come on home with me that night, got into his
overalls and begun to plow for winter wheat by sun-up the next morning.
We made a good crop tha