She said nothing to Roxy of these matters, but the little girl knew how anxiously her mother awaited news from her soldier father, and now as she noticed how grave her grandma’s face was as she looked off across the fields Roxy became sure that Grandma Miller was thinking of the war, and of her father, and she said softly:
“Grandma, don’t you s’pose my father is ever coming to see us?” and she let the swing come nearly to a standstill.
“I hope so, Roxy! But we cannot get news of him. The last we heard was that his regiment was with General Pope. But that was weeks ago. It is August now, and we hear only rumors. It may be that some day your father will come riding over the bridge and tell us all his adventures.”
“I wish he would come soon,” said Roxy soberly, and she resolved to watch the bridge so that she might be the first one to see her father.
“I believe it would be a good plan to have a seat built around this tree,” said Grandma Miller, as she started to return to the house. “It is cooler here than on the porch, and it would be a good place for you to bring your dolls for tea-parties.”
“Yes, indeed,” replied Roxy, “and I could have my ‘circus’ animals march right around the tree. Perhaps I could have a doll’s party, and ask the little Hinham girls to bring all their dolls!”
“You could indeed, my dear, and I will have Jacob make the seat this very day. We will have a good wide seat,” said Grandma, and with a smiling nod she went toward the house.
Roxy, looking after her, told herself that Grandma Miller was exactly the kind of a grandmother that every little girl ought to have.
“She doesn’t put things off until next year; she has them done right away,” Roxy thought approvingly.
The shining gold ring on her forefinger reminded her again of Grandma’s warning that it was usually “silly to be angry,” and Roxy smiled, for only yesterday the little ring had prevented her from again being vexed at Polly.