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Howells, William Dean, 1837-1920

"The Minister's Charge"

"
"Do you say it just to get me to take the medicine?"
"No, I really do believe he'll come."
"O 'Manda, 'Manda!" Statira took her medicine, and then wildly flung
her arms round 'Manda Grier's neck, and began to sob and to cry
there. "Oh, how hard I am with you, Manda! I should think if I was
as hard with everybody else, they'd perfectly hate me."
"You hard!"
"Yes, and that's why he hate me. He does hate me. You said he did."
"No, St'ira, I didn't. You never was hard to anybody, and the
meanest old iceberg in creation couldn't hate you."
"Then you think he does care for me?"
"Yes."
"And you know he'll come soon?"
"Yes."
"To-morrow?"
"Yes, to-morrow."
"O'Manda, O'Manda!"


XXX.

Lemuel had promised himself that if he could gain a little time he
should be able better to decide what it was right for him to do. His
heart lifted as he dropped the letter into the box, and he went
through the chapters which Mr. Corey asked him to read, after he
came in, with an ease incredible to himself. In the morning he woke
with a mind that was almost cheerful. He had been honest in writing
that letter, and so far he had done right; he should keep his word
about going soon to see Statira, and that would be honest too. He
did not look beyond this decision, and he felt, as we all do, more
or less vaguely when we have resolved to do right, that he had the
merit of a good action.


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