"You don't say so?" said she.
"Dear Brother, is it rheumatism? I'm sure it must be a dreadful risk
being out on the masts in the night air, without a roof over your
head. But do you wear flannel, Peter Paul? Mother was very much
troubled with rheumatism latterly. She thought it was the dews at
milking time, and she always wore flannel."
"Yes, dear, Mother always wore flannel," said Anna.
Peter Paul satisfied them on this head. He wore flannel, red flannel
too, which has virtues of its own.
Leena was more anxious than ever that he should marry Vrow Schmidt's
niece, and be taken good care of.
But it was not to be: Peter Paul went back to his ship and into the
wide world again.
Uncle Jacob would have given him an off-set of his new tulip--a real
novelty, and named--if he had had any place to plant it in.
"I've a bed of breeders that will be worth looking at next time you
come home," said he.
Leena walked far over the pastures with Peter Paul. She was very fond
of him, and she had a woman's perception that they would miss him more
than he could miss them.
"I am very sorry you could not settle down with us," she said, and her
eyes brimmed over.
Peter Paul kissed the tears tenderly from her cheeks.
"Perhaps I shall when I am older, and have shaken off a few more of my
whims into the sea.
Pages:
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176