"Mrs. Welcome," aunt Malvina had just remarked, "has got a little
colored boy as black as Toby to wait on table."

Letitia opened her sober, light gray eyes very wide, and stared
reflectively at aunt Malvina.

"It was dark as Pokonoket when we came out of church last night," said
aunt Malvina after a time, in the course of conversation.

Letitia stared reflectively at her again.

"There's my car coming around the corner!" cried aunt Malvina, and ran
friskily out of the room. Just outside the door she turned and thrust
her face, with the little gray curls dancing around it, in again for a
last word. "O, Jack!" cried she, "I hear that Edward Simonds' eldest
son is as crazy as a loon!"

"Is?"

"Yes; isn't it dreadful? Good-by!" Aunt Malvina frisked airily
downstairs, and out on the street, barely in time to secure her car.

When Letitia heard the front door close after her, she quilted her
needle carefully into her square, then she folded the patchwork up
neatly, rose, and laid it together with her thimble, scissors, and
cotton, in her little rocking-chair. Then she went and stood still
before uncle Jack, with her arms folded. It was a way she had when she
wanted information. People rather smiled to see Letitia sometimes, but
uncle Jack had always encouraged her in it; he said it was quaint.
Letitia's face was very sober, and very innocent, and very round, and