heir weeping; even Sally,
whom father had to telegraph to come home, was upstairs crying, and she
was almost a woman. It may be that all the tears they shed over not
wanting me so scared Laddie that he went farther in his welcome than he
ever would have thought of going if he hadn't done it for joy when he
learned his mother was safe. I don't care about the reason. It is
enough for me that from the hour of my birth Laddie named me Little
Sister, seldom called me anything else, and cared for me all he
possibly could to rest mother. He took me to the fields with him in
the morning and brought me back on the horse before him at noon. He
could plow with me riding the horse, drive a reaper with me on his
knees, and hoe corn while I slept on his coat in a fence corner. The
winters he was away at college left me lonely, and when he came back
for a vacation I was too happy for words. Maybe it was wrong to love
him most. I knew my mother cared for and wanted me now. And all my
secrets were not with Laddie. I had one with father that I was never
to tell so long as he lived, but it was about the one he loved best,
next after mother. Perhaps I should never tell it, but I wouldn't be
surprised if the family knew. I followed Laddie like a faithful dog,
when I was not gripping his waving hair and riding in triumph on his
shoulders. He never had to go so fast he couldn't take me on his back.
He never was in too big a hurry to be kind. He always had patience to
explain every shell, leaf, bird, and flower I asked about. I was just
as much his when pretty young girls were around, and the house full of
company, as when we were alone. That was the reason I was shivering on
the cordwood, gripping his letter and thinking of all these things in
order to force myself to go farther.

I was excited about the Fairies too. I often had close chances of
seeing them, but I always just missed. Now here was Laddie writing
letters and expecting answers; our Big Woods Enchanted, a Magic Carpet
and the Queen's daughter becoming our size so she could speak with him.
No doubt the Queen had her grow big as Shelley, when she sent her on an
errand to tell Laddie about how to make sunshine; because she was
afraid if she went her real size he would accidentally step on her, he
was so dreadfully big.

Or maybe her voice was so fine he could not hear what she said. He had
told me I was to hurry, and I had gone as fast as I could until
Something