She explained: the kind of family that has a tree? Did she belong to a family? Had she a tree?
“The only copper beech in town,” said Uncle Charlie.
But Aunt Cordelia’s vulnerable spot was touched; she grew quite heated. Emily Louise learned that she was a Pringle and a Pope.
“And a MacLauren?” queried Emily Louise.
But Aunt Cordelia’s enthusiasm had cooled.
There came a time when Emily Louise divined why. All at once talk began at school, about a thing looming ahead, called an Election. It seemed a disturbing thing, keeping Uncle Charlie at the office all hours. And when in time it actually arrived, Emily Louise could not go to school that day because the way would take her past the Polls, yet ordinarily this was only the grocery; but so dreadful a place is it when it becomes a poll, that Aunt Cordelia could not go to it for her marketing.
Hitherto, except when Miss Amanda wanted to be funny, Emily Louise had felt her to be inoffensive; but as election became the absorbing topic of Grammar School, a dreadful thing came to light—Miss Amanda was a Republican.
Hattie told Emily Louise; her voice was low and full of horror. For Hattie reflected the spirit of her State and age; the State was in the South, the year was preceding the ’80’s.
Emily Louise lowered her voice, too; it was to ask just what is a Republican. She was conscious of a vagueness.
Hattie looked at her, amazed. “A Republican—why—people who are not Democrats—of course.”