"What about her accomplishments--the elocution and the cornet?"
"They can stand in the meantime. Do you know, Davie," hesitatingly, "I'm beginning to be afraid she hasn't a good ear for music."
"The other night when the Mortons were in she sat and talked to Frank Wade the whole time Eva was playing."
"That's nothing. Everyone else did the same."
"But for a girl who is trying to pose as a cornet player, who thinks she might earn her living leading a church choir with one, it's bad policy, to say the least of it."
"Earn her living! I asked Joe Mitchell, when he was listening to her practicing out in the summer-house, what he thought of her playing, and he said she'd better keep to a penny whistle."
"No, it wasn't. I asked him point blank if I should be justified in paying for the more lessons she wants, and he said decidedly I should not."
"Well," said Belle wearily, "we'll try the housekeeping. That's a woman's true vocation, according to orthodox ideas. I shouldn't have set my heart on Mary turning out to be anything extraordinary. If she'll only be kind of half decent, and help me out with the housework, I'll be more than satisfied."
The sense of power gave new brightness to Mary's fair face, and her step through the house was of the lightest during the next week or two, but the boys rebelled in turn.
"_Mam_ma! Mary's locked the pantry. Must we go to her for the key whenever we want anything?"
"We didn't do nothin', on'y eat up the pie she meant for dessert. I'm sure Margaret wouldn't mind makin' another."
"Mary's perfectly right, boys; I've indulged you too much."
"Mary says she won't have us mussing up the parlor after she's tidied it, and that we've got to change our boots when we come into the house." Or Chrissie:
"Mary says I'm big enough now to keep my own room in order, and she aint going to do it any more. She's wors'en grandma!"
To their grandma did they go with their woes when they found their mother so unaccountably obdurate, but they did not get much comfort there. Detest Mary as she might, my poor mother is always loyal to the powers that be, and she told the children:
"Yer mither kens fine what she's aboot, an' ye needna fash yer heids tae come cryin' tae me."
She even went so far as to back Mary up in her suggestion that the boys should eat what was set before them, asking no questions.