Here's Mara with her creamy white skin and eyes as
lustrous now as our Southern skies when full of stars, but sometimes, oh
so sad and dark. Dear child, I wish I could take the gloom all out of
them, for then I could think your heart was light. But I know how it is; I
know. Your mother gave you her sad heart when she gave you life, but you
have your father's strength and courage, my dear, and you will never give
up. And here is Ella with complexion of roses and snow and eyes like
violets with the morning dew still on them--forgive an old woman's flowery
speech, for that's the way we used to talk when I was young--yes, here is
Ella, a little peach blossom, yet brimming over with the wish to become a
big, luscious peach. Lor, Lor--oh, fie! Am I saying naughty words? But
then, my dears, you know my husband was a naval officer, and no man ever
swore more piously than he. Bad words never sounded bad to me when he
spoke them--he was such a good Christian! and he always treated me as he
expected to be treated when he was on deck. I reckon that I and the
Commodore are the only ones that ever ordered _him_ around," and the old
lady cried and laughed at the same time, while the faces of her young
companions were like flowers brightened by the sun while still wet with
dew.
"Let me see," continued the old lady, "where was I when I began to swear a
little; just a little, you know. It is a sort of tribute to my husband,
and so can't be very wicked.
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