bleeds and torn garments and spilled porridge, that were constantly
arising in the neighborhood of children, made her genuinely sick and
faint. And she had so humorous and so assured an air of saying
"Disgusting!" or "Disgraceful!" when the family of some other woman
began to present itself with reasonable promptness, that other women
found themselves laughing and saying "Disgusting!" too.

Mrs. Burgoyne, like Mrs. White, was a born leader. Whether she made
any particular effort to influence her neighbors or not, they could
not but feel the difference in her attitude toward all the various
tangible things that make a woman's life. She was essentially
maternal, wanted to mother all the little living and growing things
in the world, wanted to be with children, and talk of them and study
them. And she was simple and honest in her tastes, and entirely
without affectation in her manner, and she was too great a lady to
be either laughed at or ignored. So Santa Paloma began to ask itself
why she did this or that, and finding her ways all made for economy
and comfort and simplicity, almost unconsciously copied them.




CHAPTER VI

When Mrs. Apostleman invited several of her friends to a formal
dinner given especially for Mrs. Burgoyne everyone realized that the
newcomer was accepted, and the event was one of several in which the
women of Santa Paloma tried with more than ordinary eagerness to
outshine each other. Mrs. Apostleman herself never entered into
competition with the younger matrons, nor did they expect it of her.