On Sundays they were more together; but even on this day there was cause of separation, for Aaron went to the Episcopalian church, rather to the disgust of Hetta.In the afternoon, however, they were together; and then Phineas Beckard came in to tea on Sundays, and he and Aaron got to talking on religion; and though they disagreed pretty much, and would not give an inch either one or the other, nevertheless the minister told the widow, and Hetta too probably, that the lad had good stuff in him, though he was so stiff-necked.
"But he should be more modest in talking on such matters with a minister," said Hetta.
The Rev.Phineas acknowledged that perhaps he should; but he was honest enough to repeat that the lad had stuff in him."Perhaps after all he is not a wolf," said the widow to herself.
Things went on in this way for above a month.Aaron had declared to himself over and over again that that face was sweet to look upon, and had unconsciously promised to himself certain delights in talking and perhaps walking with the owner of it.But the walkings had not been achieved--nor even the talkings as yet.The truth was that Dunn was bashful with young women, though he could be so stiff-necked with the minister.
And then he felt angry with himself, inasmuch as he had advanced no further; and as he lay in his bed--which perhaps those pretty hands had helped to make--he resolved that he would be a thought bolder in his bearing.He had no idea of making love to Susan Bell; of course not.But why should he not amuse himself by talking to a pretty girl when she sat so near him, evening after evening?
"What a very quiet young man he is," said Susan to her sister.
"He has his bread to earn, and sticks to his work," said Hetta."No doubt he has his amusement when he is in the city," added the elder sister, not wishing to leave too strong an impression of the young man's virtue.
They had all now their settled places in the parlour.Hetta sat on one side of the fire, close to the table, having that side to herself.There she sat always busy.She must have made every dress and bit of linen worn in the house, and hemmed every sheet and towel, so busy was she always.Sometimes, once in a week or so, Phineas Beckard would come in, and then place was made for him between Hetta's usual seat and the table.For when there he would read out loud.On the other side, close also to the table, sat the widow, busy, but not savagely busy as her elder daughter.Between Mrs.Bell and the wall, with her feet ever on the fender, Susan used to sit; not absolutely idle, but doing work of some slender pretty sort, and talking ever and anon to her mother.Opposite to them all, at the other side of the table, far away from the fire, would Aaron Dunn place himself with his plans and drawings before him.
"Are you a judge of bridges, ma'am?" said Aaron, the evening after he had made his resolution.'Twas thus he began his courtship.
"Of bridges?" said Mrs.Bell--"oh dear no, sir." But she put out her hand to take the little drawing which Aaron handed to her.
"Because that's one I've planned for our bit of a new branch from Moreau up to Lake George.I guess Miss Susan knows something about bridges.""I guess I don't," said Susan--"only that they oughtn't to tumble down when the frost comes.""Ha, ha, ha; no more they ought.I'll tell McEvoy that." McEvoy had been a former engineer on the line."Well, that won't burst with any frost, I guess.""Oh my! how pretty!" said the widow, and then Susan of course jumped up to look over her mother's shoulder.
The artful dodger! he had drawn and coloured a beautiful little sketch of a bridge; not an engineer's plan with sections and measurements, vexatious to a woman's eye, but a graceful little bridge with a string of cars running under it.You could almost hear the bell going.
"Well; that is a pretty bridge," said Susan."Isn't it, Hetta?""I don't know anything about bridges," said Hetta, to whose clever eyes the dodge was quite apparent.But in spite of her cleverness Mrs.Bell and Susan had soon moved their chairs round to the table, and were looking through the contents of Aaron's portfolio."But yet he may be a wolf," thought the poor widow, just as she was kneeling down to say her prayers.
That evening certainly made a commencement.Though Hetta went on pertinaciously with the body of a new dress, the other two ladies did not put in another stitch that night.From his drawings Aaron got to his instruments, and before bedtime was teaching Susan how to draw parallel lines.Susan found that she had quite an aptitude for parallel lines, and altogether had a good time of it that evening.
It is dull to go on week after week, and month after month, talking only to one's mother and sister.It is dull though one does not oneself recognise it to be so.A little change in such matters is so very pleasant.Susan had not the slightest idea of regarding Aaron as even a possible lover.But young ladies do like the conversation of young gentlemen.Oh, my exceedingly proper prim old lady, you who are so shocked at this as a general doctrine, has it never occurred to you that the Creator has so intended it?
Susan understanding little of the how and why, knew that she had had a good time, and was rather in spirits as she went to bed.But Hetta had been frightened by the dodge.
"Oh, Hetta, you should have looked at those drawings.He is so clever!" said Susan.
"I don't know that they would have done me much good," replied Hetta.
"Good! Well, they'd do me more good than a long sermon, I know,"said Susan; "except on a Sunday, of course," she added apologetically.This was an ill-tempered attack both on Hetta and Hetta's admirer.But then why had Hetta been so snappish?
"I'm sure he's a wolf;" thought Hetta as she went to bed.
"What a very clever young man he is!" thought Susan to herself as she pulled the warm clothes round about her shoulders and ears.
