IfIcouldhavepainted，I’dhavemadeapictureofShelleywithacircleoflightaboveherheadliketheoneoftheboyJesuswhereHetalkedwiththewisemeninthetemple。Iaskedfatherifhenoticedhowmuchprettierandnicershewas，andhesaidhedid。ThenIaskedhimifhethoughtnow，thatacitywassuchabadplacetolivein，andhesaidwhereshewashadnothingtodowithit，thesamethingwouldhappenhere，oranywhere，whenlife’sgreatestexperiencecametoagirl。Thatwasallhewouldsay，butfiguringitoutwaseasy。Thegreatestexperiencethathappenedtoourgirlswaswhentheymarried，likeSally，soitmeantthatShelleyhadgoneandfalleninlovewiththatlawyerman，andshelikedsittingonthesofawithhim，andnodoubtshefixedhisties。ButifanyonethoughtIwouldtellanythingI
sawwhenhecametheywerebadlymistaken。
Allofusrushedaroundlikewewerecrazy。Iffatherandmotherhadn’theldsteadyandkeptusdown，wemighthaveraisedtheroof。WewereallsogladaboutgettingLeonandthemoneyback；
motherhadn’tbeensicksincethefishcuredher；thenewbluegoosewassoliketheonethathadburst，evenfathernevernoticedanydifference；allthechildrenwereeitherhomeorcoming，andafterwehadourgiftsandthebiggestdinnerweeverhad，Christmasnightallofuswouldgototheschoolhousetoseeourschooltrytospelldownthreeotherstowhomtheyhadsentsaucyinvitationstocomeandbebeaten。
Mothersatinthedining-roombesidethekitchendoor，sothatshecouldwatchthebaking，brewing，pickling，andspicing。Ittookfourmentohandlethebacklog，whichInoticedfatherpronouncedeveryyear“justalittlethefinestweeverhad，“andLaddiestrungthehousewithbittersweet，evergreens，andthemostbeautifulspraysofmyrtlethatherakedfromunderthesnow。Fatherdrovetotowninthesleigh，andthelistofthingstobepurchasedmothergavehimasareminderwasalmostayardlong。