Poor little Mrs. Gray fled to her seat in the parlor, and for the rest of that winter she did not dare to call her soul her own; but her table was beautifully set and served, and her house was as neat as wax.
The weeks passed and Reuben began to be restless. One day he came in from the post office fairly bubbling over with excitement.
“Say, Em’ly, when folks have money they travel. Let’s go somewhere!”
“Why, Reuben--where?” quavered his wife, dropping into the nearest chair.
“Oh, I dunno,” with cheerful vagueness; then, suddenly animated, “Let’s go to Boston and see the sights!”
“But, Reuben, we don’t know no one there,” ventured his wife doubtfully.
“Pooh! What if we don’t? Hain’t we got money? Can’t we stay at a hotel? Well, I guess we can!”
And his overwhelming courage put some semblance of confidence into the more timid heart of his wife, until by the end of the week she was as eager as he.
Nancy was tremblingly requested to take a two weeks’ vacation, and great was the rejoicing when she graciously acquiesced.
On a bright February morning the journey began. It was not a long one-- four hours only--and the time flew by as on wings of the wind. Reuben assumed an air of worldly wisdom, quite awe-inspiring to his wife. He had visited Boston as a boy, and so had a dim idea of what to expect; moreover, he had sold stock and produce in the large towns near his home, and on the whole felt quite self-sufficient.