Eleanor H. Porter

“ Seriously, dear, there are some very charming people in Gilmoreville, and some otherwise, of course. Like any town of its size, it has its would-be smart set, which I imagine will have very little to do with us—now. But there are clubs and churches, and a few families of real culture and education, besides many of genuine worth with kind hearts and level heads, even if their grammar and their manners are not above reproach."
"How about those people next door?—what did you call them?"
"With the finger bowls?" smiled Sister Sue. "The Kendalls. He's the richest man in town, I suppose. ”

“ The beautiful limousine and the high-power touring car had been among the first of their possessions to go, though May freely expressed her opinion of the short-sightedness of not leaving these till the last when she and Sister Sue particularly needed them for all their good-bye calls and parties. (To have been strictly accurate, May should have spoken for herself alone; Sister Sue was not making good-bye calls or attending good-bye parties. But May was not always strictly accurate in her assertions.) The chauffeur, of course, had gone, and Mary was to go when the month was out. ”

“ Though there might be times— The doctor did not finish his sentence; and Sister Sue, to whom he had been speaking, did not press the matter, after a glance at his face, and at her father's.
John Gilmore recognized his children, realized where he was, and understood that he had been sick and was getting better. He even knew that he was going to his old home in Gilmoreville before long; and he was anticipating the trip very much, he said. He liked Gilmoreville, and it would be good to see the old home again. He asked his daughter Sue if his mother was going to be there. ”

“ Her eyes were merry again. "But you must n't be too impressed. Please remember that these celebrated personages are not there now. They won't be dropping in to breakfast every day. They just were there, once—born there. There's just Granny Preston there now. She did n't go away, you know," finished Sister Sue, with an emphasis that was as merry as it was unmistakable.
With a shrug of his shoulders Martin Kent got abruptly to his feet. ”

“ He had said, too, how thankful he was that at least he had been man enough at the last to urge her to develop her divine gift, and that whatever happened, he would have the blissful consciousness of knowing that it was not through his selfishness that she was being kept from realizing her ambitions. ”

“ We children always adored her. She's quite a character, too. You may get—" For some unapparent reason the girl stopped short, a sudden color flooding her face. Then at once she hurried on with a haste that was almost precipitate. "You may get—get quite an idea of what she is when I tell you that Granny Preston is quite a personage in Gilmoreville. She knows everything that—"
With an impatient gesture Martin Kent turned upon her almost savagely. ”

“ We live right next to the Kendalls; and the Kendalls have two motor cars and use finger bowls every day—real common, you know. And there are the Grays—he's worth at least ten thousand dollars; and the Whipples keep a maid, and have a real show place with a porte-cochère that everybody who comes to Gilmoreville is always taken to see. And the Sargents—they have a man come two days a week to mow the lawn, and—"
"Sue!" ”

“ They're the people who have lived there all these years and kept it in good order. They have three rooms for their own, and we'll let them stay, I imagine. They had their rent for looking after the place a little. ”

“ The picture had occupied an honored position upon her dressing-table and the clippings had been within easy reach of her hand for frequent perusal. She put them all now in the very bottom of her trunk.
Martin Kent called that evening. On a trunk and a packing-box they sat before the fire in the library. As usual they were alone.
"More farewells, I suppose—your sister and Gordon," smiled the man, asking with a gesture if he might smoke.
"Yes. Mrs. Henderson called for May in the car. It's a theater and supper to-night, I believe." Sister Sue looked a little sober. "Mrs. ”