ask
thoughtfully, "Mandy, what is love, anyhow?"

Mandy looked surprised. "I reckon you ought to know," she said
with a laugh; "Ollie's been a hangin' 'round you ever since I can
remember."

Sammy was struggling with a knot in the other shoe lace; "Yes,"
she admitted slowly; "I reckon I had ought to know; but what do
you say it is, Mandy?"

"Why, hit's--hit's--jest a caring fer somebody more'n fer ary one
else in th' whole world."

"Is that all?" The knot was still stubborn.

"No, hit ain't all. Hit's a goin' t' live with somebody an' a
lettin' him take care o' you, 'stead o' your folks." Sammy was
still struggling with the knot. "An' hit's a cookin' an' a
scrubbin' an' a mendin' fer him, an'--an'--sometimes hit's a
splittin' wood, an' a doin' chores, too; an' I reckon that's all."

Just here the knot came undone, and the shoe dropped to the floor
with a thud. Sammy sat upright. "No, it ain't, Mandy; it's a heap
more'n that; it's a nursin' babies, and a takin' care of 'em 'till
they're growed up, and then when they're big enough to take care
o' themselves, and you're old and in the way, like Grandma Bowles,
it's a lookin' back over it all, and bein' glad you done married
the man you did. It's a heap more'n livin' with a man, Mandy; it's
a doin' all that, without ever once wishin' he was somebody else."

This was too much for Mandy; she blushed and giggled, then
remarked, as she gazed admiringly at her friend, "You'll look
mighty fine, Sammy, when you get fixed up with all them pretties
you'll have when you an' Ollie git married. I wish my hair was
bright an' shiny like yourn. How do you reckon you'll like bein' a
fine lady anyhow?"

Here it was again. Sammy turned upon her helpless friend, with,
"How do I know if I would like it or not? What is bein' a fine
lady, anyhow?"

"Why, bein' a fine lady is--is livin' in a big house with carpets
on th' floor, an' lookin' glasses, an' not havin' no work t' do,
an' wearin' pretty clothes, with lots of rings an' things, an'--
an'," she paused; then finished in triumph, "an' a ridin' in a
carriage."

That wide questioning look was in Sammy's eyes as she returned,
"It's a heap more'n that, Mandy. I don't jest sense what it is,
but I know 'tain't all them things that makes a sure 'nough lady.
'Tain't the clothes he wears that makes Mr. Howitt different from
the folks we know. He don't wear no rings, and he walks. He's jest
different 'cause he's different; and would be