A carper
might have pointed out that the discussion of the dear old days, when
you came to analyse it, was practically a monologue on Mary's part,
punctuated with musical 'Yes, yes's' from her companion. But who cares
what carpers think? Mary herself had no fault to find. In the roar of
New York Dunsterville had suddenly become very dear to her, and she
found in Eddy a sympathetic soul to whom she could open her heart.
'Do you remember the old school, Eddy, and how you and I used to walk
there together, you carrying my dinner-basket and helping me over
the fences?'
'Yes, yes.'
'And we'd gather hickory-nuts and persimmons?'
'Persimmons, yes,' murmured Eddy.
'Do you remember the prizes the teacher gave the one who got best marks
in the spelling class? And the treats at Christmas, when we all got
twelve sticks of striped peppermint candy? And drawing the water out of
the well in that old wooden bucket in the winter, and pouring it out in
the playground and skating on it when it froze? And wasn't it cold in
the winter, too! Do you remember the stove in the schoolroom? How we
used to crowd round it!'
'The stove, yes,' said Eddy, dreamily. 'Ah, yes, the stove. Yes, yes.
Those were the dear old days!' Mary leaned her elbows on the table and
her chin on her hands, and looked across at him with sparkling eyes.
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