"Wait, Dear One, till the invention is ready," he said; "all shall give
homage to my wife."
She did not answer him in words, but he seemed satisfied with the
silence. Such moments of love, of high hope, were beautiful to both.
The little group started away for their trip to town.
Just as they reached the drug store, Suzanna pulled her father's sleeve.
She was all excitement.
"See, daddy," she cried, "that tall lady dressed in black standing near
the lamp post is Miss Smithson, my new teacher."
"Well, let's go and say a word to her," suggested Mr. Procter, easily.
"Oh, father, I don't think she talks outside of school," said Suzanna,
her voice falling. She fell into prim step as they neared Miss Smithson.
Miss Smithson, seeing Suzanna, smiled.
"This is my father," said Suzanna proudly.
"I should know that at once by the close resemblance," returned Miss
Smithson.
"Yes, Suzanna and I do look alike," said Mr. Procter, "and I think I've
sold tacks to you." He rarely failed to speak of his work. He was so
exalted a being, Suzanna thought glowingly, that he lifted his daily
labor to the dignity of a fine art. People must think so too, because
they always looked closer at him when he spoke of weighing nails, or
wrapping wringers and washboards.
"We were going on to the drug store for some ice cream. Will you join
us?" asked Mr. Procter of Miss Smithson.
Suzanna's face went white as she waited Miss Smithson's answer.
Teachers, being purely ethereal she felt, never descended to the
discussion of materialities. She wondered at her father's overlooking
this truth.
But, "Thank you," said the teacher, very calmly.
So together they all entered the corner drug store, Suzanna still very
quiet. Mr. Procter found a table large enough to accommodate them all.
Suzanna sat next to Maizie.
"I'm going to have a chocolate ice cream soda," whispered Maizie.
"No, you can't, Maizie," Suzanna returned in an agony; "take lemon ice
cream soda."
"But I don't like it."
"Well, that doesn't matter, Maizie. Chocolate is too dark; and besides
you smear it all over your lips and it looks dreadful; pale lemon ice
cream soda is sweet looking. We must do something to honor Miss
Smithson, who's here just because she wouldn't hurt father's feelings."
But Maizie looked belligerent.
Suzanna's temper threatened to flame forth. With a mighty effort she
controlled it. She turned to her father. "Father, don't you think Maizie
had better have lemon ice cream soda?" she asked.
"Anything she wants; anything she wants," Mr. Procter answered and not
lowering his voice, even in Miss Smithson's presence: "What do you think
you'll have, Suzanna?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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