give poor Charlie anxiety."

Why did grandma keep calling him "poor" Charlie? Missy had always
understood that Uncle Charlie wasn't poor at all; he owned the
biggest "general store" in Pleasanton and was, in fact, the "best-
fixed" of the whole Merriam family.

But, save for fragments, she soon lost the drift of the family
discussion. She was absorbed in her own trend of thoughts. At Uncle
Charlie's she was sure of encountering Romance. Living-and-breathing
Romance. And only two days more! How could she wait?

But the two days flew by in a flurry of mending, and running
ribbons, and polishing all her shoes and wearing old dresses to keep
her good ones clean, and, finally, packing. It was all so exciting
that only at the last minute just before the trunk was shut, did she
remember to tuck in "The Romance of King Arthur."

At the depot in Pleasanton, Aunt Isabel alone met her; Uncle Charlie
was "indisposed." Missy was sorry to hear that. For she had liked
Uncle Charlie even before he had become Romantic. He was big and
silent like father and grandpa and you had a feeling that, like
them, he understood you more than did most grown-ups.

She liked Aunt Isabel, too; she couldn't have helped that, because
Aunt Isabel was so radiantly beautiful. Missy loved all beautiful
things. She loved the heavenly colour of sunlight through the
stained-glass windows at church; the unquenchable blaze of her
nasturtium bed under a blanket of grey mist; the corner street-lamp
reflecting on the wet sidewalk; the smell of clean, sweet linen