She talked and laughed with the young men who called upon her, and they
came in increasing numbers as inevitably as a flower attracts the bees.
She was the life of the "family excursions," as she characterized in her
thoughts those in which Mara and Mrs. Hunter had a part; and she joined
others of which her father approved, but there was often trouble and
sadness in her eyes, and her cheeks and form were losing their roundness
of outline. Mrs. Bodine was not deceived. She noted everything silently,
and thought, "She is making a brave fight; she must make a brave fight.
There is no other course for her. I reckon she'll win it, as many a girl
has before."
The old lady was thoughtful, kind, and very attentive. At the same time,
with the nicest tact, she infused a firmness and spirit into her demeanor
which made the girl feel that her cousin had sympathy only with the effort
to conquer or forget. And she honestly made such effort, but was often
aghast at its futility. In her brusque way she said to herself, "What's
the use of trying? It seems like a disease which must run its course till
old Father Time brings some sort of a cure."
One day she went to see Aun' Sheba, and found the old woman feeling
poorly.
"Yes, honey," she said, "bein' lazy doan 'gree wid me 'tall. I doan see
how Unc. stan's it all de yeah roun'."
"I hab de rheumatiz," Uncle Sheba remarked in the way of explanation.
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