"
I heard her call, but don't know how I got into the room, nor before
how many I stood. I know that my head throbbed and my feet almost
refused to support my body, as I listened to grandma, who in forceful
language declared that she had taken me, a starveling, and reared me
until I was almost as tall as she herself; that she had loved and
trusted me, and taught me everything I knew, and that I had that day
blackened the home that had sheltered me, wounded the hand that had fed
me, and proved myself unworthy the love that had been showered upon
me. Mrs. Stein helped her through an account of our morning chat,
misconstruing all that had passed between us.
I remained silent until the latter had announced that almost the first
thing that she had noticed was that we children were of a selfish,
jealous disposition, and that Georgia was very cross when her little
Johnnie came home wearing a hat that grandpa had bought him. Then I
turned upon her saying, "Mrs. Stein, you forget that Georgia has not
seen that hat. You know that grandma bought it after Georgia went
away."
She sprang toward me, then turned to grandma, and asked if she was
going to let an underling insult a guest in her house.
I did not wait for the reply. I fled out into the dark and made my way
to the weird old tree-trunk in the back yard. Thence, I could see the
lights from the windows, and at times hear the sound of voices.
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