Chapter 12—“The Other Fellows”

Rosedidtell“thepeople”whathadpassed,andnoone“howled”overMac,orsaidawordtotroublehim.Hehadhistalkwiththedoctor,andgotverylittlecomfortoutofit,forhefoundthat“justwhathemightdo”wasnothingatallthoughtheprospectofsomestudybyandby,ifallwentwell,gavehimcouragetobearthewoesofthepresent.Havingmadeuphismindtothis,hebehavedsowellthateveryonewasastonished,neverhavingsuspectedsomuchmanlinessinthequietWorm. Theboysweremuchimpressed,bothbythegreatnessoftheafflictionwhichhungoverhimandbyhiswayofbearingit.Theywereverygoodtohim,butnotalwaysparticularlywiseintheirattemptstocheerandamuseandRoseoftenfoundhimmuchdowncastafteravisitofcondolencefromtheClan.Shestillkeptherplaceashead-nurseandchief-reader,thoughtheboysdidtheirbestinanirregularsortofway.TheywererathertakenabacksometimesatfindingRose'sservicespreferredtotheir's,andprivatelyconfidedtooneanotherthat“OldMacwasgettingfondofbeingmolly-coddled.”Buttheycouldnothelpseeinghowusefulshewas,andowningthatshealonehadremainedfaithfulafactwhichcausedsomeofthemmuchsecretcompunctionnowandthen. Rosefeltthatsheruledinthatroom,ifnowhereelse,forAuntJaneleftagreatdealtoher,findingthatherexperiencewithherinvalidfatherfittedherforanurse,andinacaselikethis,heryouthwasanadvantageratherthanadrawback.MacsooncametothinkthatnoonecouldtakecareofhimsowellasRose,andRosesoongrewfondofherpatient,thoughatfirstshehadconsideredthiscousintheleastattractiveoftheseven.HewasnotpoliteandsensiblelikeArchie,norgayandhandsomelikePrinceCharlie,norneatandobliginglikeSteve,noramusinglikethe“Brats,”norconfidingandaffectionatelikelittleJamie.Hewasrough,absent-minded,careless,andawkward,ratherpriggish,andnotatallagreeabletoadainty,beauty-lovinggirllikeRose. Butwhenhistroublecameuponhim,shediscoveredmanygoodthingsinthiscousinofhers,andlearnednotonlytopitybuttorespectandlovethepoorWorm,whotriedtobepatient,brave,andcheerful,andfounditahardertaskthananyoneguessed,exceptthelittlenurse,whosawhiminhisgloomiestmoods.Shesooncametothinkthathisfriendsdidnotappreciatehim,andupononeoccasionwasmovedtofreehermindinawaythatmadeadeepimpressionontheboys. Vacationwasalmostover,andthetimedrawingnearwhenMacwouldbeleftoutsidethehappyschool-worldwhichhesomuchenjoyed.Thismadehimratherlowinhismind,andhiscousinsexertedthemselvestocheerhimup,especiallyoneafternoonwhenaspasmofdevotionseemedtoseizethemall.Jamietrudgeddownthehillwithabasketofblackberrieswhichhehad“pickedallhisownself,”ashisscratchedfingersandstainedlipsplainlytestified.WillandGeordiebroughttheirpuppiestobegui