"I think it's downright
mean for folks to come in this way, just dinner-time," said she to the
uncles, who had not left their chairs. And they gave short grunts which
expressed their assent, for neither of them liked company.
They watched soberly as Ruth stirred the stew, but they did not dream
that there was not enough to go around.
When her mother and the guests entered, Ruth turned around and bobbed
her head stiffly, and said, "Pretty well, thank you," and then stirred
again. Serena helped the Wigginses take off their things. She untied old
Mrs. Wiggins's pumpkin hood, and got her cap out of her cap basket and
put it on for her. She also took off little Mary Wiggins's coat, and set
her in a little child's arm-chair and gave her a kiss. Little Mary
Wiggins, with her sober, chubby face and her rows of shiny brown curls,
in her best red frock and her scalloped pantalets, was noticed
admiringly by everybody but Ruth.
As soon as she could Ruth cornered her mother in the pantry. "Mother,
what _are_ you going to do?" said she.
"I'm goin' to do jest the best I can," she whispered, severely. "I'm
goin' to tell father an' Caleb an' Silas they mustn't take none of that
stew; they can have some bread an' apple-sauce. I guess they'll git
along."
"Well, I don't care," said Ruth, in a loud voice. "I think it's mean and
a downright imposition on folks, coming in this way, just dinner-time.
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