"Mother, you shock me," said Kate. "They come because they LOVE
you. They try to tell you so with the little things they bring.
Most people would think they were neglected, if their children did
NOT come to see them when they were not so well."
"Not so well!" cried Mrs. Bates. "Folly! I am as well as I ever
was. They needn't come snooping around, trying to make me think
I'm not. If they'd a-done it all their lives, well and good; it's
no time for them to begin being cotton-mouthed now."
"Mother," said Kate gently, "haven't YOU changed, yourself, about
things like Christmas, for example? Maybe your children are
changing, too. Maybe they feel that they have missed something
they'd like to have from you, and give back to you, before it's
too late. Just maybe," said Kate.
Mrs. Bates sat bolt upright still, but her flashing eyes softened.
"I hadn't just thought of that," she said. "I think it's more
than likely. Well, if it's THAT way, I s'pose I've got to button
up my lip and stand it; but it's about more than I can go, when I
know that the first time I lose my grip I'll land smash up against
Adam Bates and my settlement with him."
"Mother," said Kate still more gently, "I thought we had it
settled at the time Father went that each of you would be
accountable to GOD, not to each other. I am a wanderer in
darkness myself, when it come to talking about God, but this I
know, He is SOMEWHERE and He is REDEEMING love. If Father has
been in the light of His love all these years, he must have
changed more, far more than you have. He'll understand now how
wrong he was to force ways on you he knew you didn't think right;
he'll have more to account to you for than you ever will to him;
and remember this only, neither of you is accountable, save to
your God."
Mrs. Bates arose and walked to the door, drawn to full height, her
head very erect. The world was at bloom-time. The evening air
was heavily sweet with lilacs, and the widely branching, old apple
trees of the dooryard with loaded with flowers. She stepped
outside. Kate followed. Her mother went down the steps and down
the walk to the gate. Kate kept beside her, in reach, yet not
touching her. At the gate she gripped the pickets to steady
herself as she stared long and unflinchingly at the red setting
sun dropping behind a white wall of bloom. Then she slowly
turned, life's greatest tragedy lining her face, her breath coming
in short gasps. She spread her hands at each side, as if to
balance herself, her passing soul in her eyes, and looked at Kate.