"It's like that--at sunset--in the Witches' Glade," Jerry said slowly.
She closed the book. "I think Peter Westley must have had something nice
in him to like this. There used to be an old, old lady who lived in a
funny little house in the Notch; I always pretended she was old Mother
Hubbard who lived in the cupboard. Jimmy Chubb used to throw apples at
her roof to make her run out and chase him. But her garden was the
loveliest anywhere around--mother used to beg seeds from her. And she'd
talk to her flowers--sometimes when we'd hide behind the hedge next door
to her house we'd hear her. And mother said that there must be something
lovely in her soul if she cared so much for flowers. Perhaps that's the
way it was with your Uncle Peter and his books."
Gyp frowned as though she was trying very hard to think this possible.
She lifted a huge Bible and dusted it thoughtfully with her
handkerchief.
"I don't know--I heard Uncle Johnny say once to my father that Uncle
Peter was as hard as rocks when it came to driving a bargain and he'd
never give a cent to anyone. Mother said that riches that came like that
only brought unhappiness and she was sorry we had any of it, though----"
Gyp laughed. "Money's funny. It wouldn't matter how much of an allowance
father gave Graham or me we'd never have any and I don't know where it
goes. And Isobel always has a lot. Maybe she's going to be like Uncle
Peter----" There was horror in Gyp's voice.
Jerry sat on the table, the huge Bible on her knees. Her eyes stared out
through the dusty window-glass.
"She wouldn't be _like_ him because _she_ won't have to work hard to get
the money the way he did! Mother says----" Jerry had a way of saying
"mother says" as though it was precious, indisputable wisdom. "Mother
says that sometimes when a person sets his heart on just one thing in
this world and thinks about it all the time, he kills everything else in
him. Doesn't that seem dreadful? Not to enjoy all the beautiful, jolly
things in the world?"
Jerry's philosophy was beyond Gyp's practical mind. "What would you do
if you had lots and lots of money, Jerry?"
This was a stupendous question and one Jerry had often liked to ask of
herself. Her answer was prompt.
"I'd keep going to school just as long as ever I could. And then I'd go
all over the world--to Japan and Singapore and India and to the Nile and
Venice and Switzerland and Gibraltar----" her tongue stumbled in its
effort to circle the globe. "Oh--_everywhere_. I'd want to see
everything."
How many young hearts have dreamed of such adventure!
"And yet," Jerry went on, "if I had all the gold in the world right in
my hand I don't believe I could make myself go so far away from
Sweetheart and Little-Dad and the dogs and--and Sunnyside!"
"Oh," Gyp quickly settled such an obstacle. "If you had all the gold in
the world you could take 'em with you."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account