she started out together.
Rosie had been gone only three weeks but, in that short time, changes
had come about, events had occurred, which had altered irrevocably the
face of her little world. Within the limits of her own short paper route
the whole cycle of existence had turned. Life had been ushered in, life
had passed out, and that closest of human pacts which is the promise of
life to succeeding generations had been entered into.

Janet McFadden was voluble. "It turned out to be twins at the
Flannigans, Rosie, and they just had an awful time. The doctor said that
poor Mis' Flannigan was too hard-worked before they came and that's why
they're so weak and sickly. Ain't it just tough the way poor little
babies have to pay up for things like that?... And you know about Jake
Mullane dying last week, don't you? It was sunstroke and I suppose he
had been drinking and he just went that quick. They certainly had a
swell funeral with six carriages and plumes and tassels on the horses
and Lucy and Katie and even the baby dressed in black. But doesn't it
kind of scare you, Rosie, to think of a big strong man like Jake being
dead and buried before you can turn around?... And, say, Rosie, I do
wish you had been here to see the wedding! It was just beautiful! Bessie
had a veil and pink roses and smilax and Ed Haskins hired three
carriages for the day. There were white ribbons on the whips and little
white bows behind the horses' ears. Maybe you think they didn't look
swell! They rode around town from ten o'clock in the morning until
midnight. Jarge Riley saw them coming home and he says they were lying
all over each other fast asleep. I'm not surprised at that, are you?
Bessie's in her own little flat now. It isn't any bigger than a soap-box
but she's got it all fixed up and pretty. She took me through and showed
me her dishes and everything. They furnished on twenty-five dollars down
and a dollar a week for a year. I guess Ed Haskins is going to be a good
provider all right...."

Janet chatted on, pausing only to let people greet Rosie. Rosie's
progress that afternoon was something of a reception. Every one who saw
her stopped to call out: "Back again, Rosie? Awful glad to see you!" or,
"Hello, kid! How's the country?" It gave Rosie the very pleasant feeling
that she had been missed during her absence.

At the end of the route when they came to Danny Agin's cottage, they
found old Mary Agin near the gate, busied over her flower