"Now here comes the greatest piece of news, and I've been saving it up till the end! I did tell Miss Dearborn, last evening. I couldn't help it, because I couldn't be sure my idea wasn't foolish till one other person had heard it—and what do you think she told me? She's engaged to be married! Miss Dearborn's engaged to be married!"
This was chanted joyously while Rebecca skipped over the pine-needle carpet in circles and waved her arms triumphantly.
A chorus of "Oh!" and "Ah!" and "Who to?" woke the echoes.
Rebecca sat down again cross-legged and proceeded to the telling of a tale which from the beginning of the world has evoked the keenest joy in the narrator and the most rapt attention from the audience.
"How did she happen to tell you first?" asked Persis with a spice of envy in her tone.
"Just because I was there almost at the very identical minute when He went away."
"Who? Her beau?" inquired Alice, blushing to the roots of her hair.
"Yes; and she'd never tell Mrs. Bangs a thing like that!" (Mrs. Bangs was a lady of difficult temper with whom Miss Dearborn boarded as painlessly as possible.) "Don't you know how you feel when you're full to bursting with splendid news? That's how Miss Dearborn was. Do you remember the tall gentleman that came from Hartford two Saturday nights and went to meeting with her next day?"
"Yes!" in chorus. "Was that him?" (Miss Dearborn spoke and taught good English; but there are some things that human beings are powerless to teach—or learn!)
"Yes. His name is Robert Hunt, and teacher says he's an ab-so-lute-ly glorious man!"