Youcan’tblamemymothersomuch。Shemusthavebeentiredofbabiesanddislikedtogobackandbeginalloverafterrestingsixyears。Andyoumustn’tbetoohardonmyfatherifhewasnotjustoverjoyed。Hefeltsurethecookwouldleave，andshedid。HeknewSallywouldobjecttoababy，whenshewantedtobeginhavingbeaus，soheandmothertalkeditoverandsentherawayforalongvisittoOhiowithfather’speople，andnevertoldher。TheyintendedtoleaveherthereuntilIwasoverthecolic，atleast。Theyknewthebigmarriedbrothersandsisterswouldobject，andtheydid。Theysaiditwouldbeembarrassingfortheirchildrentobetheniecesandnephewsofanauntoruncleyoungerthanthemselves。Theysaiditsooftenandsoemphaticallythatfatherwasprovokedandmothercried。Shelleydidn’tlikeitbecauseshewasgoingtoschoolinGroveville，whereLucy，oneofourmarriedsisters，lived，andshewasafraidIwouldmakesomuchworkshewouldhavetogiveupherbooksandfriendsandremainathome。ThereneverwasababybornwhowasanylesswantedthanIwas。Iknewasmuchaboutitasanyoneelse，becausefromthedayIcouldunderstand，allofthem，father，mother，Shelley，SarahHood，everyonewhoknew，tookturnstellingmehowbadlyIwasnotwanted，howmuchtroubleI
made，andhowLaddiewastheonlyonewholovedmeatfirst。
BecauseofthatIwasonthecordwoodtryingtofindcouragetogofarther。OverandoverLaddiehadtoldmehimself。HehadbeentovisitourbigsisterElizabethoverSundayandabouteighto’clockMondaymorninghecameridingdowntheroad，andsawthemostdreadfulthing。Therewasnotacurlofsmokefromthechimneys，notatableclothorpillowslipontheline，notablindraised。Laddiesaidhisheartwent——justlikeminedidwhentheSomethingjumpedinthecreekbed，nodoubt。Thenhelaidonthewhipandrode。
Heflungthereinoverthehitchingpost，leapedthefenceandreachedthebackdoor。Theyounggreengirl，whowasallfathercouldgetwhenthecookleft，wascrying。SowereShelleyandlittleMay，althoughshesaidafterwardshehadaboilonherheelandtherewasnoonetopoulticeit。Laddieleanedagainstthedoorcasing，anditiseasyenoughtounderstandwhathethought。Hetoldmehehadtotrytwicebeforehecouldspeak，andthenhecouldonlyask：“What’sthematter？“
ProbablyMayneverthoughtshewouldhavethechance，buttheothersweresobusycryingharder，nowthattheyhadanaudience，thatshewasfirsttotellhim：“Wehavegotalittlesister。“