United States -- Social life and customs -- 20th century -- Fiction; Villages -- Fiction
"I'm going to have him take charge of a class in wood-carving as soon
as we can get one together. He's a master hand at that sort of work
and there are any number of boys in this town who will love it and look
up to Hen," said the man who did not understand women. The sun was
slipping low in the west, pouring a flood of mellow gold over the
landscape. It caught the attic windows of the old brick farmhouse that
was so nearly ready for its new and young owner.
"Look," exclaimed Nan, pointing down toward it, "there is fairy
treasure in your attic."
"Yes," he smiled, "there is. There are trunks up there full of all
manner of things that five generations of Churchills could not bear to
burn or give away. Some day when the rain is drumming on the roof and
the gutters are spouting and all the birds are tucked away in dripping
trees and the world is misty with tears, I'm going up there and just
revel in second-hand adventure, dead dreams and cobwebs."
"Oh, my gracious, how I'd like to be there too," enviously cried Nanny
Ainslee and the next moment crimsoned angrily at herself.
"If you won't mind coming to my house in the rain," said the man who
did not understand women--but Nanny wasn't listening. The setting sun
flared into a last widespread glory that bathed every grass blade in
Green Valley and in this strong and golden light Nan saw the 6:10
pulling in and Fanny Foster hurrying home. Jessup's delivery boy,
driving back from his last trip, was larruping his horse and careful
Ellen Nuby was taking in her clotheslines.
On the back porch of the Brownlee bungalow Jocelyn was shaking a white
tablecloth, for the Brownlees had supper early. Jocelyn flapped and
flapped, then folded the cloth neatly as she had seen Green Valley
matrons do. That done, she waited.
David Allan was coming home over the hills with his team and Jocelyn
was waiting till he came closer before she waved to him and greeted
him. All Green Valley knew of these sunset greetings and approved.
So now Nan, with a smile of understanding sympathy, watched and waited
too. She could almost see Jocelyn's happy, eager child face. David
slowly drew nearer. But after one careless look at the little figure
on the porch, his fine head drooped and he went on without a word and
left Jocelyn standing there.
From her tree shelter Nan could see the little city girl standing very
still, staring after David. Then slowly the little figure went down
the steps and into the back garden. There it stood motionless again,
staring into the fading sky as if seeking an explanation for David's
strange conduct.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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