HONEY WITHOUT WAX
"WELL, I reckon the cowboy's gone back to 'tend to his cows," remarked
the grandmother to Adelaide, as she returned from taking Percy to
Blue Mound and found the old lady sitting on the lawn bench
apparently enjoying the mild late November weather. "Did you leave
him at the station or see him off?"
"Neither," Adelaide replied, sitting down beside her. "The train was
late, and he insisted on coming back with me to the first turn, and
then stood and watched till I came within sight of home at the next
turn. I doubt if he is back to the station yet."
"He reminds me, Pet, of the Latin definition you gave for _sincere,"
_remarked the grandmother. "Pure honey without wax, wasn't it?"
"Oh, no, Grandma. Not pure honey. It says nothing about honey. Sine
is the Latin for _without, _and _cera _means _wax; _so that our word
_sincere, _taken literally from the Latin, means _without wax."_
"Oh, yes, I see now; but let me tell you, Adelaide, I think that
professor of yours is right smart wax."
"Why, Grandma! I never heard you say such a thing. You know papa and
mamma like Professor Barstow and I think I like him too, and,--and
he has papa's consent, and mamma's consent."
"Well, you never heard me say such a thing before and you won't ever
hear it again, but he hasn't got my consent. I think he's some wax,
but I reckon you think he's some honey, and I know he thinks he's
some punk'ns. Of course, your father would like an English or
Scottish nobleman for a son-in-law, or at least a college professor
with a string of ancestry reaching across the water; but the Henry's
prefer to make their own reputations as they go along, and I doubt
if Patrick ever saw England or Scotland. I tell you, Adelaide, a
pound of gumption will make a better husband than a shipload of
ancestry, and I just hope you will more than like your husband,
that's all."
With that the old lady arose and walked to the house.