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Ailsa Paige by Robert W. (Robert William) Chambers
page 81 of 544 (14%)
She laughed with an effort; her natural gaiety returned to buoy her
above this indefinable undercurrent of unrest.

Paige and Marye came in from the glass extension where their father
was pacing to and fro, smoking his bedtime cigar, and their mother
began her invariable running comment concerning the day's events,
rallying her children, tenderly tormenting them with their
shortcomings--undarned stockings, lessons imperfectly learned,
little household tasks neglected--she was always aware of and ready
at bedtime to point out every sin of omission.

"As fo' you, Paige, you are certainly a ve'y rare kind of
Honey-bird, and I reckon Mr. Ba'num will sho'ly catch you some day
fo' his museum. Who ever heard of a shif'less Yankee girl except
you and Marye?"

"O mother, how _can_ we mend _everything_ we tear? It's heartless
to ask us!"

"You don't have to try to mend _ev'y_thing. Fo' example, there's
Jimmy Lent's heart----"

A quick outbreak of laughter swept them--all except Paige, who
flushed furiously over her first school-girl affair.

"That poor Jimmy child came to me about it," continued their
mother, "and asked me if I would let you be engaiged to him; and I
said, 'Certainly, if Paige wants to be, Jimmy. I was engaiged
myse'f fo' times befo' I was fo'teen----'"

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