Through the open door of Room 5, Aunt Jane heard voices and stopped to
listen. Then she went in.
"This is my husband," said the little woman on the bed. "He says they're
getting along real well."
The man by the bed rose awkwardly, turning his stiff hat in his hands.
He wore a high collar with sharp points turning back in front and a
bright-blue necktie. A large stick pin was thrust through the tie, and
his hair was combed carefully in a wide, flat curl on his forehead. He
stood with his feet close together, and bowed to Aunt Jane over the hat.
She held out her hand. "How do you do, Mr. Pelton?-- Your wife is
getting along first-rate!" She nodded toward the bed.
The little woman's face flushed with clear color. "The doctor says I can
go in ten days!" she announced.
Aunt Jane considered it. "Well, you can go as soon as you can go--it may
be ten days and it may be eleven. I wouldn't begin to say just how many
days 'tis--if I was you. We mean to make you comfortable as long as you
stay here." She looked at her benignly over her glasses. "You're
comfortable, aren't you?"
"Oh, I'm comfortable!" said the woman. "Everybody's real good to me,
John." She turned to him. "Tommie don't miss me, does he?" It was
wistful.
John tugged at something in his pocket. "He kind of misses you, I guess.
But we're getting along _fine_!... I got these for you--so's you could
see." He put a fat envelope in her fingers and she received it
doubtingly. She held it up and looked at it.
"I don't know where they put my spectacles--I can't see very well."
"You don't need to see--not for them. Here--I'll show you." He took the
envelope proudly and stiffly and drew out a card and held it toward her.
"There you be!"
She took it in questioning fingers.
"Why, it's Mamie!"
She turned her face to Aunt Jane and held up the card to her: "That's my
oldest girl--that's Mamie!" Her voice had a happy tone--with quick tears
somewhere in it.
The man smiled broadly. "I've got another one!" He took it from the
envelope and extended it. "And here's two more!" He held the group of
pictures spread before him like a fan in his big hand and gazed at them.
"Why, John Pelton! You don't mean you had 'em all done!"
"The whole family," he said proudly.
"John--_Pelton_! Here--let _me_ see!"
She took the pictures from him, one by one, and her fingers trembled
with them. "That's Tommie! He's got on the little sack Aunt Minnie made
for him!
"He looks nice--don't he?" She held it toward Aunt Jane.
"And that's Wesley. His tie don't set quite straight." Regret and pride
mingled over the tie and smiled at it fondly. "And that's Lulie! It's
the whole family!"
"Well, I _am pleased_!"
She lay back and looked at them, proud and content, and Aunt Jane
praised the children.
"I've got another one here," said the man. He looked half shamefaced as
he drew it out.
Aunt Jane took it and smiled, and glanced from the picture to his face.
"Yes, it's good-- Looks like you," she said.