Part 2 (1/2)
From the very first minute, Tom's Aunt Elizabeth made me conscious of her disapproval In after years I won the old lady's affection and real respect, but I never spent a coht we arrived she gave uests dropped in later, and I was bewildered by new faces and strange na -roo out, I invited hi he could do for me
”Yes, indeed,” I assured him ”Come in and talk to me” He looked shy and surprised I insisted Then Toa servant into her drawing-room
”Servant! He looks like a senator,” I protested ”He's dressed exactly like every other man at the party and he looks twice as important as most of them”
”Didn't you notice he addressed you as 'Madam'?” pursued Aunt Elizabeth
”But it 's perfectly proper to call a ners always do,” I defended
”Can't you tell a servant when you see one?” inquired the old lady icily
I begged to kno one could All Boston was summed up in her answer: ”You are supposed to know the other people”
Tom's wife could have drowned in a thimble
The third day of our visit, ere at the dinner table, when I saw Aunt Elizabeth's face change--for the worse Her head went up higher and her upper lip drew longer Finally she turned to 's dinner?” she snapped
To exclamation did not stop her
I laid my knife and fork on
Tience I shall remember that scene Even then, in a flash, I saw the sy silver, deft servants, napkins to rumple, leisure for the niceties of life On the other hand--a log cabin,to homestead a claim and push civilization a little farther over our Areat tenderness for my parents filled my heart and overflowed in my eyes I have, I confess, had moments of bitterness toward them But that was not one of them
”I think I can tell you,” I answered, as quietly as I could ”It 's very simple I was the first baby, and mother cut up my food for me
After a while she cut up food for two babies By the ti Naturally, I did it just as an to help cut up food for the other babies It 's a baby habit And I rown person”
Even Aunt Elizabeth was silenced But To My father would not have pere before my mother But I loved Toht Next ized, and for Back Bay was really unbending
Soht ht Tom came home full of excitement
He had been appointed to the diploland within a month!
The news struck chill terror to my heart With so much still to learn in lish society?
II
More than two ht n appointland