"Now, I'm through," she exclaimed, closing the book as an exclamation
point; "but I won't bother you with what I have learned. Master McCosh
knows the face of the sky as well as I know the alphabet. You should have
heard him and seen him one night, pointing here and there and everywhere:
That's Orion, that's Job's coffin, that's Cassiopeia! As fast as he could
speak. That's the Dipper, that's the North Star!"
"I know them all," said Morris.
"Why! when did you see them?"
"In my watches I've plenty of time to look at the stars! I've plenty of
time for thinking!"
"Have you seen an iceberg?"
"Yes, one floated down pretty near us going out--the air was chillier and
we found her glittering majesty was the cause of it."
"Have you seen a whale?"
"I've seen black fish; they spout like whales."
"And a nautilus."
"Yes."
"And Mother Carey's chickens?"
"Yes."
"Morris, I won't tease you with nonsense! What troubles you this
morning?"
"My mother," he said concisely.
"Is she ill? Miss Prudence wrote to her last week"
"Does she ever reply?"
"I think so. Miss Prudence has not shown me her letters."
"Poor mother. I suppose so. I'm glad she writes at all. You don't know
what it is to believe that God does not love you; to pray and have no
answer; to be in despair."
"Oh, dear, no," exclaimed Marjorie, sympathetically.
"She is sure God has not forgiven her, she weeps and prays and takes no
interest in anything."
"I should not think she would.
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