Everything went on well, only father did not improve much. But his writing was a great delight to him, and papers at a distance spoke of John Farmer's trenchant articles, which pleased him immensely.
To be sure he and Dan did not always agree, but they gave and took, and so seemed to get along pretty well. I do not know what father would have done without him.
It would not be possible to be brought into such familiar contact with a man and not lapse into a certain intimacy, I suppose, especially as he had charming moods. He was so much older that I always thought of his marrying some one eighteen or twenty, and of the families of note. We sparred and jested, he praised my cooking at times, he thought I had such pretty, householdy ways, and that I loved father, which I did. When I went to Sophie's or Mrs. Hayne's he came for me in the evening. And one picnic we had he took a team and a big wagon, and had no end of fun giving the girls, little and big, a drive. Miss Campbell was really devoted to him that day.
Somehow, I thought of Polly Morrison, though Miss Campbell did nothing pronounced, nor ordered Dan about as Polly used to do.
Mrs. Morrison had spent some months with her. Polly was like a queen. Mr. Maseurier had no end of slaves on his sugar plantation, and some were up to the great house. Both sons were married, one settled at New Orleans, the other in Vincennes. There seemed a great deal of gayety at that place, and Kaskaskia and Polly was in the midst of it.
Then there was a kind of all-day camp meeting in the woods, and Chris and I had a very happy time. Oh, the beautiful singing! I was almost impatient at the addresses and the praying.
I had, too, this summer a pretty flower garden of my own. Dan brought me some geraniums which I had never seen before. I did delight in it, and I used to keep the blossoms in the house. The first time I had a bowl full father said, "That's like old times. Your mother was so fond of flowers."
"Oh, do tell me about mother," I cried, hanging over the arm of his chair.
"There isn't much to tell, dear. We had three happy years. We were young and poor, and very hard worked. And one of the drawbacks to this prosperity is that she is not here to share it."
His voice fell to a tender solemnity, and I felt awed. I shuddered at the thought of death.