A little puzzled, Mrs. Procter looked at Suzanna. Then her face cleared.
"O, I understand. It is—can you understand the word, Suzanna—'exhilarating' sometimes."
"I feel what the word means, mother—like catching in your breath when you touch cold water."
"Exactly. Now please get the slippers."
Suzanna ran upstairs. Returning, slippers in hand, she found the other children had left.
"Has Maizie got the baby?" Suzanna asked anxiously.
Her mother smiled. "Yes, I carried him out to the yard. He's kicking about, happy on his blanket."
Suzanna, relieved, handed the slippers to her mother.
"And I brought my old black hair ribbon. That will do for the shirring, won't it, mother?"
"Nicely."