CHAPTER III

eededbysomeone.Nooneinthewholeworldneededher,orwouldmissanythingfromlifeifshedroppedsuddenlyoutofit.Shewasadisappointmenttohermother.Noonelovedher.Shehadneversomuchashadagirlfriend. “Ihaven’tevenagiftforfriendship,”shehadonceadmittedtoherselfpitifully. “Doss,youhaven’teatenyourcrusts,”saidMrs.Frederickrebukingly. Itrainedalltheforenoonwithoutcessation.Valancypiecedaquilt.Valancyhatedpiecingquilts.Andtherewasnoneedofit.Thehousewasfullofquilts.Therewerethreebigchests,packedwithquilts,intheattic.Mrs.FrederickhadbegunstoringawayquiltswhenValancywasseventeenandshekeptonstoringthem,thoughitdidnotseemlikelythatValancywouldeverneedthem.ButValancymustbeatworkandfancyworkmaterialsweretooexpensive.IdlenesswasacardinalsinintheStirlinghousehold.WhenValancyhadbeenachildshehadbeenmadetowritedowneverynight,inasmall,hated,blacknotebook,alltheminutesshehadspentinidlenessthatday.OnSundayshermothermadehertotthemupandprayoverthem. OnthisparticularforenoonofthisdayofdestinyValancyspentonlytenminutesinidleness.Atleast,Mrs.FrederickandCousinStickleswouldhavecalleditidleness.ShewenttoherroomtogetabetterthimbleandsheopenedThistleHarvestguiltilyatrandom. “Thewoodsaresohuman,”wroteJohnFoster,“thattoknowthemonemustlivewiththem.Anoccasionalsaunterthroughthem,keepingtothewell-troddenpaths,willneveradmitustotheirintimacy.Ifwewishtobefriendswemustseekthemoutandwinthembyfrequent,reverentvisitsatallhoursbymorning,bynoon,andbynightandatallseasons,inspring,insummer,inautumn,inwinter.Otherwisewecanneverreallyknowthemandanypretencewemaymaketothecontrarywillneverimposeonthem.Theyhavetheirowneffectivewayofkeepingaliensatadistanceandshuttingtheirheartstomerecasualsightseers.Itisofnousetoseekthewoodsfromanymotiveexceptsheerloveofthemtheywillfindusoutatonceandhidealltheirsweet,old-worldsecretsfromus.Butiftheyknowwecometothembecausewelovethemtheywillbeverykindtousandgiveussuchtreasuresofbeautyanddelightasarenotboughtor