“Do you remember the day you were up in the apple tree, Ladybird, and hit me with an apple?”
“And that was before I learned to ‘throw straight,’ too!”
“You were very repentant, so we went fishing the next day. You leaned over the brook to see yourself, and your hair fell into the water.”
“It wasn’t very long,” she laughed.
“How long is it now, Ladybird?” he asked.
She pursed up her lips. “Oh, longer,” she said.
At the edge of the woods they stood for a last look at the churchyard below. “Can you give up the other life, Ladybird?” he asked seriously.
“There is no other,” she replied softly.
“Oh, Ladybird, Ladybird, when will you come home?” he cried.
She shook her head at him, laughing. “Oh, parson, old parson, you couldn’t ask one great, important question, but you’re a genius at asking silly ones!”