“You mean how could she have these things, Alys?” Beth said. “Aunt Rebecca hasn’t much money. I suppose here she would be quite poor, but there she isn’t. It doesn’t cost much to live there and Aunt Rebecca has all she wants, I guess. She is the biggest giver there to things--like the church and missions and those things, you know. She doesn’t ever spend for little things. I like little things, myself! Sometimes I think wicked thoughts, like wondering if a perfectly beautiful dress and hat for me would be nicer than sending to heathens. Now I’ve had things here lovelier than I ever saw I shall never dare think wicked thoughts again, because when you’re bad, and don’t get punished for it, it makes you so ashamed you simply have to be good. You see it never could seem as though we were poor at home because we are Bristeads. Aunt Rebecca says: ‘Let the new people have the fine clothes, Beth; we can afford old ones because everybody knows what the Bristeads did for their country before the Revolution and all through it and pretty much ever since.’ Of course I’m glad of what Aunt Rebecca calls ‘our honorable inheritance,’ but I often think good ancestors must like to see you in a becoming dress, that hasn’t been turned. But Aunt Rebecca isn’t poor, Alys. I don’t believe she ever thinks much about money at all; just spends what she can afford and thinks it doesn’t matter for her that it’s so little.” “That’s a long speech, Cozbeth, and it’s a very nice one,” said Natalie heartily. “I think you’ve told us about what really means fine ladyhood. But don’t think the Cortlandt side cares too much about money, either, Bethie. Mama never measures people by a bank book; neither does father. They’ve always told us to be glad and thankful we had such a lot entrusted to us, but to remember that it _was_ entrusted to us, and that it was a tremendous responsibility to face and that we must never forget that money was only outside; that what we _were_ mattered. Mama is very much the same sort of fine lady your aunt is, only one has a great deal to do with and the other only a little, perhaps.” “Goodness, Natalie, don’t you suppose I know Aunt Alida?” cried Beth, surprised. She could not yet see, as Natalie and Alys could, the great importance that wealth gives. “Really and truly Aunt Alida makes even less fuss about money than Aunt Rebecca. Aunt Rebecca makes a little tiny fuss about _not_ making a fuss, and Aunt Alida goes right along, as quiet! I’m glad she and Uncle Jim are the way they are, because I’m as sure as sureness they’ll have Liebchen cured!” “Who in all this world is that?” cried Alys, but Beth shook her head, laughing. “I’m going to tell them about her first!” she cried, whisking into her room like a blithe bluebird into its nest in the crevice of a tree and closing the door to forbid following and further questioning. CHAPTER IX AFOOT AND ON HORSEBACK