Hedidnotcatchcold，butwhilehewasouthismotherdied。Sheonlysurvivedherhusbandelevendays，acoincidencewhichwasrecordedontheirtombstone。
Such，insubstance，wasthestorywhichRickietoldhisfriendsastheystoodtogetherintheshelterofthedell。Thegreenbankattheentrancehidtheroadandtheworld，andnow，asinspring，theycouldseenothingbutsnow—whiterampartsandtheevergreenfoliageofthefirs。Onlyfromtimetotimewouldabeechleafflutterinfromthewoodsabove，tocommentonthewaningyear，andthewarmthandradianceofthesunwouldvanishbehindapassingcloud。
Aboutthegreatcoathedidnottellthem，forhecouldnothavespokenofitwithouttears。
III
Mr。Ansell，aprovincialdraperofmoderateprosperity，oughtbyrightstohavebeenclassednotwiththecow，butwiththosephenomenathatarenotreallythere。Buthisson，withpardonableillogicality，exceptedhim。Heneversuspectedthathisfathermightbethesubjectiveproductofadiseasedimagination。Fromhisearliestyearshehadtakenhimforgranted，asamostundeniableandlovablefact。Tobebornonethingandgrowupanother——Ansellhadaccomplishedthiswithoutweakeningoneofthetiesthatboundhimtohishome。Theroomsabovetheshopstillseemedascomfortable，thegardenbehinditasgracious，astheyhadseemedfifteenyearsbefore，whenhewouldsitbehindMissAppleblossom’scentralthrone，andshe，likesomeallegoricalfigure，wouldsendthechangeandreceiptedbillsspinningawayfromherinlittleboxwoodballs。Atfirsttheyoungmanhadattributedthesehappyrelationstohisowntact。