She did not lose much
time, only while she picked up her knitting from a work-basket on the
table beside her. When she had put her needle safely through the first
stitch she turned her eyes kindly upon me and began:
"So this is your birthday, Amey? Poor Amey; I remember the day you
were born, well. I never thought at that time the world would be such
a see-saw as it has since shown itself to be. I never expected I would
be called upon to offer you the shelter of my humble roof."
I rocked myself slowly to and fro, and with a sigh answered:
"What would I have done without you, Cousin Bessie?"
This brought a sudden thought into my mind, it was so strange that it
should never have crossed my mind before, I looked up quickly into
cousin Bessie's face and asked with a puzzled and eager curiosity:
"How did you come to know I wanted a home, Cousin Bessie. Who told you
of my father's death?"
She laughed a quiet, suspicious little laugh and then replied:
"I have been waiting for this question ever since you came, and it has
been a continual wonder to me that you have not asked it. However, I
will tell you all about it to-day, and it is a long, long story from
the beginning," said she, laying her knitting down upon her lap and
taking off her glasses, which she wore only while working.
"Your mother and I, as I told you already, were brought up together in
her father's house She was as like you, my child, as your image in the
glass, and on this account I have felt that ever since you have been
with me, I have been living my young days over again with my poor,
dead Amelia, that was as dear as life to my heart.
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