Across the Years

Across the Years

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Across the Years, by Eleanor H.
Porter #9 in our series by Eleanor H. Porter
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Title: Across the Years
Author: Eleanor H. Porter
Release Date: November, 2004 [EBook #6991] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on February 20,
2003]
Edition: 10

Language: English
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ACROSS
THE YEARS ***

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ACROSS THE YEARS
BY
ELEANOR H. PORTER

Contents

WHEN FATHER AND MOTHER REBELLED JUPITER ANN THE
AXMINSTER PATH PHINEAS AND THE MOTOR CAR THE
MOST WONDERFUL WOMAN THE PRICE OF A PAIR OF
SHOES THE LONG ROAD A COUPLE OF CAPITALISTS IN THE
FOOTSTEPS OF KATY THE BRIDGE ACROSS THE YEARS FOR
JIMMY A SUMMONS HOME THE BLACK SILK GOWNS A
BELATED HONEYMOON WHEN AUNT ABBY WAKED UP
WRISTERS FOR THREE THE GIVING THANKS OF CYRUS AND
HULDAH A NEW ENGLAND IDOL

The stories in this volume are here reprinted by the courteous
permission of the publishers of the periodicals in which they first
appeared,--The Ladies' Home Journal, Ainslee's Magazine, The Scrap
Book, The New England Magazine, The Pictorial Review, The
Housewife, The Pacific Monthly, The Arena, Lippincott's Magazine,
Harper's Bazar, The Century Magazine, Woman, Holland's Magazine,
The Designer.

When Father and Mother Rebelled

"'Tain't more 'n a month ter Christmas, Lyddy Ann; did ye know it?"
said the old man, settling back in his chair with a curiously resigned
sigh.
"Yes, I know, Samuel," returned his wife, sending a swift glance over
the top of her glasses.
If Samuel Bertram noticed the glance he made no sign. "Hm!" he
murmured. "I've got ten neckerchiefs now. How many crocheted
bed-slippers you got?--eh?"
"Oh, Samuel!" remonstrated Lydia Ann feebly.
"I don't care," asserted Samuel with sudden vehemence, sitting erect in
his chair. "Seems as if we might get somethin' for Christmas 'sides
slippers an' neckerchiefs. Jest 'cause we ain't so young as we once was
ain't no sign that we've lost all our faculty for enj'yment!"
"But, Samuel, they're good an' kind, an' want ter give us somethin',"
faltered Lydia Ann; "and--"
"Yes, I know they're good an' kind," cut in Samuel wrathfully. "We've
got three children, an' each one brings us a Christmas present ev'ry year.
They've got so they do it reg'lar now, jest the same as they--they go ter
bed ev'ry night," he finished, groping a little for his simile. "An' they
put jest about as much thought into it, too," he added grimly.
"My grief an' conscience, Samuel,--how can you talk so!" gasped the
little woman opposite.
"Well, they do," persisted Samuel. "They buy a pair o' slippers an' a
neckerchief, an' tuck 'em into their bag for us--an' that's done; an' next
year they do the same--an' it's done again. Oh, I know I'm ongrateful,
an' all that," acknowledged Samuel testily, "but I can't help it. I've been
jest ready to bile over ever since last Christmas, an' now I have biled
over. Look a-here, Lyddy Ann, we ain't so awful old. You're
seventy-three an' I'm seventy-six, an' we're pert as sparrers, both of us.
Don't we live here by ourselves, an' do most all the work inside an'
outside the house?"
"Yes," nodded Lydia Ann timidly.
"Well, ain't there somethin' you can think of sides slippers you'd like
for Christmas--'specially as you never wear crocheted bed-slippers?"
Lydia Ann stirred uneasily. "Why, of course, Samuel," she began
hesitatingly, "bed-slippers are very nice, an'--"
"So's codfish!" interrupted Samuel in open scorn. "Come," he coaxed,

"jest supposin' we was youngsters again, a-tellin' Santa Claus what we
wanted. What would you ask for?"
Lydia Ann laughed. Her cheeks grew pink, and the lost spirit of her
youth sent a sudden sparkle to her eyes. "You'd laugh, dearie. I ain't
a-goin' ter tell."