"Take the wings of Morning."
Kate Bates followed the narrow footpath rounding the corner of the
small country church, as the old minister raised his voice slowly
and impressively to repeat the command he had selected for his
text. Fearing that her head would be level with the windows, she
bent and walked swiftly past the church; but the words went with
her, iterating and reiterating themselves in her brain. Once she
paused to glance back toward the church, wondering what the
minister would say in expounding that text. She had a fleeting
thought of slipping in, taking the back seat and listening to the
sermon. The remembrance that she had not dressed for church
deterred her; then her face twisted grimly as she again turned to
the path, for it occurred to her that she had nothing else to wear
if she had started to attend church instead of going to see her
brother.
As usual, she had left her bed at four o'clock; for seven hours
she had cooked, washed dishes, made beds, swept, dusted, milked,
churned, following the usual routine of a big family in the
country. Then she had gone upstairs, dressed in clean gingham and
confronted her mother.
"I think I have done my share for to-day," she said. "Suppose you
call on our lady school-mistress for help with dinner. I'm going
to Adam's."
Mrs. Bates lifted her gaunt form to very close six feet of height,
looking narrowly at her daughter.
"Well, what the nation are you going to Adam's at this time a-
Sunday for?" she demanded.
"Oh, I have a curiosity to learn if there is one of the eighteen
members of this family who gives a cent what becomes of me!"
answered Kate, her eyes meeting and looking clearly into her
mother's.
"You are not letting yourself think he would 'give a cent' to send
you to that fool normal-thing, are you?"
"I am not! But it wasn't a 'fool thing' when Mary and Nancy Ellen,
and the older girls wanted to go. You even let Mary go to college
two years."
"Mary had exceptional ability," said Mrs. Bates.
"I wonder how she convinced you of it. None of the rest of us can
discover it," said Kate.
"What you need is a good strapping, Miss."
"I know it; but considering the facts that I am larger than you,
and was eighteen in September, I shouldn't advise you to attempt
it. What is the difference whether I was born in '62 or '42?
Give me the chance you gave Mary, and I'll prove to you that I can
do anything she has done, without having 'exceptional ability!'"
"The difference is that I am past sixty now. I was stout as an ox
when Mary wanted to go to school. It is your duty and your job to
stay here and do this work."