“Rhoda Stuart made fun of Ilse and me but I heaped coals of fire on her head. (That is what is called a figure of speech.) She got stuck in her recitation. She had left the book home and nobody else knew the piece but me. At first I looked at her triumphantly. But then a queer feeling came into me and I thought ‘What would I feel like if I was stuck before a big crowd of people like this? And besides the honour of the school is at stake,’ so I whispered it to her because I was quite close. She got through the rest all right. The strange thing is, dear Father, that now I don’t feel any more as if I hated her. I feel quite kindly to her and it is much nicer. It is uncomfortable to hate people.
“Dear Father:
“Christmas is over. It was pretty nice. I never saw so many good things cooked all at once. Uncle Wallace and Aunt Eva and Uncle Oliver and Aunt Addie and Aunt Ruth were here. Uncle Oliver didn’t bring any of his children and I was much disappointed. We had Dr. Burnley and Ilse too. Everyone was dressed up. Aunt Elizabeth wore her black satin dress with a pointed lace collar and cap. She looked quite handsome and I was proud of her. You like your relations to look well even if you don’t like them. Aunt Laura wore her brown silk and Aunt Ruth had on a grey dress. Aunt Eva was very elegant. Her dress had a train. But it smelled of moth balls.
“I had on my blue cashmere and wore my hair tied with blue ribbons, and Aunt Laura let me wear mother’s blue silk sash with the pink daisies on it that she had when she was a little girl at New Moon. Aunt Ruth sniffed when she saw me. She said, ‘You have grown a good deal, Em’ly. I hope you are a better girl.’
“But she didn’t hope it (really). I saw that quite plain. Then she told me my bootlace was untyed.
“ ‘She looks better,’ said Uncle Oliver. ‘I wouldn’t wonder if she grew up into a strong, healthy girl after all.’
“Aunt Eva sighed and shook her head. Uncle Wallace didn’t say anything but shook hands with me. His hand was as cold as a fish. When we went out to the sitting room for dinner I stepped on Aunt Eva’s train and I could hear some stitches rip somewhere. Aunt Eva pushed me away and Aunt Ruth said, ‘What a very awkward child you are, Emily.’ I stepped behind Aunt Ruth and stuck out my tongue at her. Uncle Oliver makes a noise eating his soup. We had all the good silver spoons out. Cousin Jimmy carved the turkeys and he gave me two slices of the breast because he knows I like the white meat best. Aunt Ruth said ‘When I was a little girl the wing was good enough for me,’ and Cousin Jimmy put another white slice on my plate. Aunt Ruth didn’t say anything more then till the carving was done, and then she said, ‘I saw your school teacher in Shrewsbury last Saturday, Em’ly, and she did not give me a very good account of you. If you were my daughter I would expect a different report.’
‘I am very glad I am not your daughter,’ I said in my mind. I didn’t say it out loud of course but Aunt Ruth said, ‘Please do not look so sulky when I speak to you, Em’ly.’ And Uncle Wallace said, ‘It is a pity she has such an unattractive expression.’
‘You are conceited and domineering and stingy,’ I said, still in my mind. ‘I heard Dr. Burnley say you were.’
‘I see there is an ink-stain on her finger,’ said Aunt Ruth. (I had been writing a poem before dinner.)
“And then a most surprising thing happened. Relations are always surprising you. Aunt Elizabeth spoke up and said, ‘I do wish, Ruth, that you and Wallace would leave that child alone.’ I could hardly believe my ears. Aunt Ruth looked annoyed but she did leave me alone after that and only sniffed when Cousin Jimmy slipped a bit more white meat on my plate.
“After that the dinner was nice. And when they got as far as the pudding they all began to talk and it was splendid to listen to. They told stories and jokes about the Murrays. Even Uncle Wallace laughed and Aunt Ruth told some things about Great-Aunt Nancy. They were sarcastic but they were interesting. Aunt Elizabeth opened Grandfather Murray’s desk and took out an old poem that had been written to Aunt Nancy by a lover when she was young and Uncle Oliver read it. Great-Aunt Nancy must have been very beautiful. I wonder if anyone will ever write a poem to me. If I could have a bang somebody might. I said, ‘Was Great Aunt Nancy really as pretty as that?’ and Uncle Oliver said, ‘They say she was 70 years ago’ and Uncle Wallace said, ‘She hangs on well—she’ll see the century mark yet,’ and Uncle Oliver said, ‘Oh, she’s got so in the habit of living she’ll never die.’
“Dr. Burnley told a story I didn’t understand. Uncle Wallace hawhawed right out and Uncle Oliver put his napkin up to his face. Aunt Addie and Aunt Eva looked at each other sidewise and then at their plates and smiled a little bit. Aunt Ruth seemed offended and Aunt Elizabeth looked coldly at Dr. Burnley and said, ‘I think you forget that there are children present.’ Dr. Burnley said, ‘I beg your pardon, Elizabeth,’ very politely. He can speak with a grand air when he likes. He is very handsome when he is dressed up and shaved. Ilse says she is proud of him even
