“Sometimes I wonder if the beauty of this world is not too much in his mind and heart,” she added. “Thee sees, child, it is good to love the beautiful things God has made; but always one must look through them to the Eternal Beauty.”
“Well, you don’t always have to say it,” Pegeen said comfortably. “I believe that being chuckfull of love for anything is worshiping God, even if you don’t think about Him at all when you’re doing it. I just adore St. Francis. Miss Moran’s Ellen told me about him. She likes St. Anthony best because he finds things for her when she’s lost them, but I think St. Francis was a perfect old darling. He did love everything so hard.”
“But he is a Popish Saint, child.” There was rebuke in the Eldress’ voice, but Pegeen looked up at her serenely.
“I’ll bet the birds and beasts didn’t care what church he belonged to,” she said, and Eldress Martha laughed once more.
“Thee has small respect for creeds, Peggy,” she said, “but thee has a great heart.”
The sisters crowded doors and windows to wave good-by as Pegeen and Archibald rode away down the street and the small girl turned to throw kisses to them until a bend of the road hid the East Family buildings from view. Then she settled back into her saddle to talk things over. They always talked a neighboring visit over. That was one of the best parts of it.
“Aren’t they the sweetest things?” she said beamingly. “I just wish I could give every single one of them a nice little baby of her own.”
Archibald gasped.
“Wouldn’t it rather shake up the community?” he asked gravely.
Pegeen considered the proposition. “Well, I suppose it would a little—not having marrying and giving in marriage in their religion you know—like Heaven—but shaking up wouldn’t hurt them, and I think it’s dreadful for so many perfectly darling women to miss having babies—and it’s a shame for the babies too because somebody else that isn’t half as nice will have to take them.