"But she looked twenty years younger. When she's animated, she--oh, I never saw such a complexion." "Not even in your mirror?" "No, you silly dear! And her home is real cosey. There's nothing showy or expensive in it; but if ever I get homesick, I'm going to hurry up there, even if the mud is a foot deep." "Good! Perhaps you got some ideas of how to fix up our own dismal barn of a house. Come down and look about it once more." Together they started. As they reached the front door, and Philip threw it open, Caleb, with his eye at the back window of the store, saw Grace stop and toss up her hands. As the door closed, Caleb jumped up and down, and afterward said to himself:-- "There are times when I wish, church or no church, that I'd learned how to dance." "Phil! Phil! Phil!" exclaimed Grace, dashing from one room to another, all of which were as well lighted as candles could make them. "How did you?--how could you? No woman could have done better! Oh! home!--home!--home! And a few hours ago, right here, I was the most disheartened, rebellious, wicked woman in the world! Come here to me--this instant!" There are times when manly obedience is a natural virtue. For a few moments a single easy chair was large enough for the couple, who laughed, and cried, and otherwise comported themselves very much as any other healthy and affectionate couple might have done in similar circumstances. A knock at the door recalled them to the world. "Don't like to disturb you," said Caleb, "but Doc Taggess has dropped in again an' asked for Mr. Somerton, an' as his time's not all his own, mebbe you'd--" "Do tell him how I enjoyed my day with his wife," said Grace. "I tried to, when he brought me down, but I don't feel that I said half enough." Philip hurried to the store; Caleb lingered and said to Grace:-- "Reckon you've had a little s'prise, hain't you? Your husband showed me 'round a little." "Little surprise? Oh, Mr. Wright! 'Twas the greatest, dearest surprise of my life. But 'twas just like Phil; he's the thoughtfullest, smartest man in the world." "Is, eh? Well, stick to that, an' you'll always be happy, even if you should chance to be mistaken. But say,--'what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander,' as I reckon you've heard. Don't you want to give your husband a pleasant s'prise?" "Oh, don't I!" "Well, I'm kind o' feared to ask you, after seein' all these fine things; but you said you was brought up in the country. Can you cook?" "Indeed I can! I've cooked all our meals at home since we were married--except those that Phil prepared."