"Stannie is in Hobartstown with her grandmother, and will be here next week, as I have already stated as many as seven times," replied Mrs. Andrews. "I think I shall delegate Bram to answer the question henceforth, for I am tired of it. How many feet have you grown since I went away, Betsy?"
"Betsy's mother puts a flatiron on her head for three hours every day," said Bram.
"Now, Bram, don't," said Bessy, pathetically; "what will Marion think of us?"
And so, amid much laughter and good-natured "chaff," the ride was concluded.
Marion went to bed at night with her head in a whirl and her ideas thoroughly disorganized.
"Who would have thought everything would have turned out so different?" she said to herself as she got ready for bed. She could not help feeling a little provoked. Not only did they have family prayers every morning and evening, but they had actually a church and Sunday school.
"Of course; don't you?" that impertinent little Bessy had said.
What had become of her fine castle in the air about influencing her father to get up a Sunday school which was to be held in a barn or shed till she could still further influence him to build a small log school-house? Here was a Sunday school already organized, and nobody had even asked her to take a class.
On the contrary, Bessy had said carelessly, "I suppose you will be in Cousin Helen's Bible class, Marion."
She began to feel a positive dislike to Bessy. Why did not Mrs. Overbeck teach her children to call her, Marion, by the proper title of aunt? She decided to assert herself on this point, as soon as possible. She had come to Hemlock Valley determined to be very gracious, considerate, and condescending, and she could not make up her mind to yield her position without an effort; and thinking over various plans for asserting her dignity, she fell asleep.