"
"But by inches, or 'at one fell swoop,' it's going to hurt," said
Kate.
"Sometimes it seems to me," said Mrs. Bates, "that the more we get
HURT in this world the decenter it makes us. All the boys were
hurt enough when Pa went, but every man of them has been a BIGGER,
BETTER man since. Instead of competing as they always did, Adam
and Andrew and the older, beforehandeder ones, took hold and
helped the younger as you told them to, and it's done the whole
family a world of good. One thing is funny. To hear Mary talk
now, you'd think she engineered that plan herself. The boys are
all thankful, and so are the girls. I leave it to you. Tell them
or let them guess it by degrees, it's all one to me."
"Tell me about Nancy Ellen and Robert," said Kate.
"Robert stands head in Hartley. He gets bigger and broader every
year. He is better looking than a man has any business to be; and
I hear the Hartley ladies give him plenty of encouragement in
being stuck on himself, but I think he is true to Nancy Ellen, and
his heart is all in his work. No children. That's a burning
shame! Both of them feel it.
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