" The girl's dislike for any countenance that was not
of the smoothest, or skin of the softest texture, seemed strange
indeed.
Margaret's mother was dead. She had five brothers and sisters of
assorted ages, up to 'Lonzo, who was sixteen and worked in the
woods like Nan's cousins.
Aunt Matilda kept house for the motherless brood, and for
Gran'ther and Mr. Fen Llewellen. They lived in a most haphazard
fashion, for, although they were not really poor, the children
never seemed to have any decent clothing to wear; and if, by
chance, they got a new garment, something always happened to it
as, for instance, the taking of Margaret's new gingham by Bob as
a dress for old Beagle.
As the Llewellens were close neighbors of the Sherwoods, Nan saw
much of Margaret. The local school closed soon after the visitor
had come to Pine Camp, and Nan had little opportunity of getting
acquainted with other girls, save at the church service, which
was held in the schoolhouse only every other Sunday. There was
no Sunday School at Pine Camp, even for the very youngest of the
children.
Nan talked to Aunt Kate about that. Aunt Kate was the very
kindest-hearted woman that ever lived; but she had little
initiative herself about anything outside her own house.
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