Not wishing to seem to cast any disparagement on his wares, I became the
helpless recipient of this favor. The article in question was far too
large for my watch-pocket, and had a persistent habit of holding its
mouth wide open like a too weary shell-fish. On the interior of the case,
one on either side, were pasted photographs of individuals to me unknown,
male and female, their countenances such as the blinded eye of affection
alone, I thought, could have rendered mutually entertaining; and the
watch maintained, on all occasions, a system of chronology peculiarly its
own.
As we drove back to Wallencamp, Grandma Keeler, her great heart close to
Nature that sunny afternoon, beguiled the way with a gentle hilarity
which never shocked or offended, but Becky put her hand often in mine,
looking up with the old helpless, pleading expression in her eyes--Becky,
I knew, would remember longest.
Sometimes, as my hand wandered almost unconsciously to caress the
precious coin in my pocket, instead of the wild tract of stunted cedars
through which our road lay, I fancied I saw the great elms of Newtown,
the wide, straight street, the familiar house, an open door, and--ah! It
wasn't the first time I had been taken in at that door, the survivor of
wrecked ambition and misguided hope, only to hear my shortcomings made
tenderly light of, my most desperate follies lovingly ignored and
forgiven.
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