CHAPTER III

Breakfastwasalwaysthesame.Oatmealporridge,whichValancyloathed,toastandtea,andoneteaspoonfulofmarmalade.Mrs.Frederickthoughttwoteaspoonfulsextravagant—butthatdidnotmattertoValancy,whohatedmarmalade,too.Thechilly,gloomylittledining-roomwaschillierandgloomierthanusualtherainstreameddownoutsidethewindowdepartedStirlings,inatrocious,giltframes,widerthanthepictures,glowereddownfromthewalls.AndyetCousinStickleswishedValancymanyhappyreturnsoftheday! “Situpstraight,Doss,”wasallhermothersaid. Valancysatupstraight.ShetalkedtohermotherandCousinSticklesofthethingstheyalwaystalkedof.Sheneverwonderedwhatwouldhappenifshetriedtotalkofsomethingelse.Sheknew.Thereforesheneverdidit. Mrs.FrederickwasoffendedwithProvidenceforsendingarainydaywhenshewantedtogotoapicnic,sosheateherbreakfastinasulkysilenceforwhichValancywasrathergrateful.ButChristineStickleswhinedendlesslyonasusual,complainingabouteverything—theweather,theleakinthepantry,thepriceofoatmealandbutter—Valancyfeltatonceshehadbutteredhertoasttoolavishly—theepidemicofmumpsinDeerwood. “Dosswillbesuretoketchthem,”sheforeboded. “Dossmustnotgowheresheislikelytocatchmumps,”saidMrs.Frederickshortly. Valancyhadneverhadmumps—orwhoopingcough—orchicken-pox—ormeasles—oranythingsheshouldhavehad—nothingbuthorriblecoldseverywinter.Doss’wintercoldswereasortoftraditioninthefamily.Nothing,itseemed,couldpreventherfromcatchingthem.Mrs.FrederickandCousinSticklesdidtheirheroicbest.OnewintertheykeptValancyhousedupfromNovembertoMay,inthewarmsitting-room.Shewasnotevenallowedtogotochurch.AndValancytookcoldaftercoldandendedupwithbronchitisinJune. “Noneofmyfamilywereeverlikethat,”saidMrs.Frederick,implyingthatitmustbeaStirlingtendency. “TheStirlingsseldomtakecolds,”saidCousinSticklesresentfully.ShehadbeenaStirling. “Ithink,”saidMrs.Frederick,“thatifapersonmakesuphermindnottohavecoldsshewillnothavecolds.” Sothatwasthetrouble.Itwasall