Vashti glared in fixed disapproval at the baby, who regarded her not at all, but after a leisurely and contemplative survey of himself began to investigate the marvels of his feet, becoming as thoroughly absorbed in the mysteries of his own toes as we older infants do in our theories. “He’s a beautiful baby—I’m sure you are very proud of him,” said Mabella kindly. Then her gaze rested upon the two poor garments which had formed all the baby’s costume. Tears filled her eyes as she saw the scrap of red woollen edging sewn clumsily upon the little yellow cotton shirt.
“I’m afraid you are not used to sewing much,” she said, “it was the clothes which spoiled the baby.”
Ann, who, unstable as water, never remained in the same mood for ten minutes together, began to cry softly, rocking back and forth sometimes.
“Oh, I wisht I was dead! I do. I never was learned nothing. ’Scuse me if I spoke up to you, Missus Martin, but I’m that ignerent! And you the preacher’s lady too! My! I dunno how I came t’ be so bad. I guess I’m jest real condemned bad; but I haint had no chance, I haint; never a mother, not so much as a grandma. Nothing but a tormented old aunt. And brothers! Lord! I’m sick of brotherses and men. I jest can’t abear the sight of a man, and I’m that ignerent. Lord! I can’t make clo’es for Reub, now he is here.” Then vehemently—“I am jest dead sick of men.”
“But, think,” said Mabella soothingly, “when Reuben is a man he’ll look after you and take care of you.”
“Yes—I s’pose he will,” said Ann, drying her eyes; then, with a sudden change of mood, she began smiling bravely. “Say—he’s that knowin’! You wouldn’t believe it; if I’m agoin’ out in a hurry I give him sometimes an old sugar rag, but he knows the difference, right smart he does, and he jest won’t touch it if ’taint new filled; and”—with a touch of awe as at a more subtle phenomenon—“he yawned like a big person when he was two days old.”
“Why, so did my baby,” said Mabella in utter astonishment that another baby had done anything so extraordinary.
“Are you coming, Mabella?” said Vashti austerely from the doorway.
Direst disapproval darkened her countenance. Ann’s mutable face clouded at the words.
“Yes, I’m coming,” said Mabella hastily to Vashti, then she turned to Ann. “I will send you some patterns to cut his dress by,” she said. “It’s very hard at first; Temperance helped me; I’ll mark all the pieces so that you’ll know how to place them,” then she went close to Ann and put a trembling hand upon her arm.