CAMP AGAIN
"Aunt Susan, you've grown so young," said Ethel, "and as for Tom, well
he's the glass of fashion and mould of form. He looks fine. Oh! I'm so
glad to be back and to have Mother and Grandmother with me; and Father
will be here soon. It seems like a dream--too good to be true. Hasn't
Mother grown lovely?"
"Never saw anything like the change," replied the old lady. "In fact,
you've worked wonders in us all, my dear," she said. "Look at me. Why! I
feel like an up-to-date fashion plate."
Ethel laughed.
"Yes, Madam, you're up-to-date all right and no mistake. I didn't know
you that day at the depot."
"I often wonder," continued the elderly woman, "if people think I'm
putting on airs. Really, Jane told me of some woman who said 'old Mrs.
Carpenter was mighty upraised, dressing like a young girl.' It's funny,
isn't it, what dress will do. But I should look young for I'm so happy
to have Alice here again, and to think that we shall be together all
summer. I don't yet seem to realize it."
"Did you notice how Grandmother cried as this house came to view,--her
birthplace?"
"No wonder. She hasn't been here," said Aunt Susan, "since Mother's
funeral, I presume it brought it all back to her. Poor Alice! I ought
not to say it, but Archie Hollister was not the man to make her happy.
He ran through with nearly all of her money. It slipped through his
fingers just like water, and I guess her life with his family was none
too peaceful and happy. They had the name of being great fighters. Of
course she has her recompense in John and Archibald--that's something.
A woman needs peace. Now take your mother, for instance. Why has she
grown young? Because she's quit worrying--that is the secret."
"Yes, and when I think that she did it all for me--why, Aunt Susan,
I can't lay up anything against her; I love her too well. She sees
now how useless it all was. But what do you know about Harvey Bigelow?
Isn't he developing into a fine man?"
"He certainly is," replied Aunt Susan, "and I always liked him. He looked
one squarely in the eye, and such a man can be trusted."
"I don't know," answered Ethel, "of late everyone seems to be changing
for the better. The whole world appears different to me. It makes me
happy to see others happy," and the girl went out to call her mother and
Tom in to tea.
"I'm transferring my allegiance to your mother, young woman," said Tom.
"I'm not a bit jealous," replied Ethel. "Mother is really more
interesting to men than I, and what's more, she's always been. But
hurry in; Jane will be furious if her biscuits grow cold."
The two weeks passed only too quickly. They spent their days touring
all over Ohio, so it seemed to Ethel, and at night the young people came
in shoals to see her, while the grown-ups had bridge parties. Said Mrs.
Hollister:
"How hospitable and lovely these Westerners are. I had no idea that they
were so refined."
"What did you expect to meet, Mother?" laughed Ethel--"not cowboys?"
"Susan," said Grandmother one morning, "I notice that you curl your hair.
It's very becoming, I think."
"Alice, you don't consider me too old, do you? Sometimes I wonder if I'm
not sort of making a fool of myself, but Ethel got me in the way of it
and I try to keep the front as fluffy as possible, for she asked me to.
And I've another confession to make," said Aunt Susan. "Alice, I blue my
hair--regular bluing water so as to keep it white. There now--what do you
think of that?"
"So do I, Susan," laughed her sister. "I've done it for several years. It
certainly does improve the color. Grey hairs grow so yellow looking. The
child is right. We ought to keep ourselves up while we're able. We polish
up old mahogany and keep it fresh and clean--why not old women?" and the
two laughed merrily.
"I think the Camp Fire business has made a woman of Ethel, don't you?"
"How could it fail to?" said Aunt Susan. "Women are coming into
their own, Alice. They're growing sensible and self-reliant. Look
at our Grandmothers and at us. Do you notice the difference? And
our grandchildren will be just as far ahead of us as we are of our
grandmothers. Isn't it wonderful?"
"I like you Western people," said Mrs. Hollister, coming in at that
moment followed by Ethel.
"I've just told Mother," said the girl, "that Western people can give
points to us. They are natural, kind-hearted, hospitable, and they seldom
measure their friendship by the amount of people's bank accounts. With
them it's character that talks."
"How did you like my sanitarium, Bella?" asked Aunt Susan.
"I couldn't half express myself," replied Mrs. Hollister. "You're a
wonderful woman, Aunt Susan, and the people here have cause to bless
you. I've never before admitted this to Ethel, but I'm very glad that
she came here last summer. I see my short-sightedness every day when
I look back and realize how I was bringing her up," and Mrs. Hollister
wiped her eyes.
"You've been a lovely and kind mother to me," replied Ethel. "You have
sacrificed far too much for me and I never half appreciated it."
"I have been an unwise mother my dear," said she, "and you stopped
me just in time. I only now begin to realize my limitations. I've been
self-centered and conceited."
Ethel kissed her mother affectionately, and the two old ladies coughed
and knitted vigorously.
"We are all liable to make mistakes, Bella," said Aunt Susan. "Yours has
been in loving your child too dearly."