“Then Norman Ruleson is yet alive?”
“Ay, but his wearisome wife fretted herself into a-grave a good many years ago.”
“And the other Ruleson boys? Are they all alive yet?”
“I cannot tell. They were all great wanderers. Do you remember old Judith Macpherson?”
“To be sure I do.”
“Well, her grandson married the only girl Ruleson, and they have ruled Culraine ever since I can remember. The Captain was very masterful, and after he was ‘retired,’ that was after he was sixty, I think, he lived at Culraine, and Culraine lived as much to his order as if they were the crew of his ship.”
“Where did they live?”
“In the old house, but they built large rooms round about it, and put on another story above all the rooms. They made no change in the old part of the house, except to lift the roof, and insert modern widows. The new rooms were finely papered and painted and furnished, the old living room is still whitewashed, and its uncarpeted floor is regularly scrubbed and sanded. The big hearthstone has no rug to it, and the rack against the wall is yet full of the old china that Mrs. Macpherson’s mother used. All the Macpherson boys and girls were married in that room, just in front of the hearthstone, or on it. I do not remember which. The Captain’s wife insisted on that part of the ceremony.”
“Did you know the Captain’s wife?”