These we looked over
together, and when Becky went away, the tears were dried in her eyes, and
she was laughing as merrily as ever.
With the severely implied reproach of Madeline's words still in my mind,
I took pains to assume toward Luther Larkin a more elder-sisterly air
even than before.
It was true, I felt that I had been unjustly stung, having, amid the
press of other duties, undertaken the advancement of that bright youth,
from motives, I believed, of an ideal and disinterested nature. It was
also true, that, after the first enthusiasm with respect to his lessons
had passed away, as well as the natural diffidence he had at first felt
in my presence, Luther Larkin, though punctual to the hour of recitation,
had gradually fallen into a habit of more lively and discursive inquiry
than that furnished within the dull range of his text-books. He had a
singularly fearless manner of challenging the inexplicable in thought and
life, with a light conversational flow of much brilliancy. Moreover,
he was a delightful dreamer.
We had our recitation, for quiet, in one of Grandma's gloomy and
mysterious keepin'-rooms. The only object inviting to sedentary posture
in this room was Grandpa's huge "chist," which occupied a position
"along side" the East window.
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