Susan Coolidge - What Katy Did

“Cousin Helen’s going to stay three weeks this time—isn’t that nice?” asked Elsie, while Clover anxiously questioned: “Are you sure that you didn’t suspect? Not one bit? Not the least tiny, weeny mite?”

“No, indeed—not the least. How could I suspect anything so perfectly delightful?” And Katy gave Cousin Helen another rapturous kiss.

Such a short day as that seemed! There was so much to see, to ask about, to talk over, that the hours flew, and evening dropped upon them all like another great surprise.

Cousin Helen was perhaps the happiest of the party. Beside the pleasure of knowing Katy to be almost well again, she had the additional enjoyment of seeing for herself how many changes for the better had taken place, during the four years, among the little cousins she loved so much.

It was very interesting to watch them all. Elsie and Dorry seemed to her the most improved of the family. Elsie had quite lost her plaintive look and little injured tone, and was as bright and beaming a maiden of twelve as any one could wish to see. Dorry’s moody face had grown open and sensible, and his manners were good-humored and obliging. He was still a sober boy, and not specially quick in catching an idea, but he promised to turn out a valuable man. And to him, as to all the other children, Katy was evidently the centre and the sun. They all revolved about her, and trusted her for everything. Cousin Helen looked on as Phil came in crying, after a hard tumble, and was consoled; as Johnnie whispered an important secret, and Elsie begged for help in her work. She saw Katy meet them all pleasantly and sweetly, without a bit of the dictatorial elder-sister in her manner, and with none of her old, impetuous tone. And best of all, she saw the change in Katy’s own face: the gentle expression of her eyes, the womanly look, the pleasant voice, the politeness, the tact in advising the others, without seeming to advise.

“Dear Katy,” she said a day or two after her arrival, “this visit is a great pleasure to me—you can’t think how great. It is such a contrast to the last I made, when you were so sick, and everybody so sad. Do you remember?”

“Indeed I do! And how good you were, and how you helped me! I shall never forget that.”

“I’m glad! But what I could do was very little. You have been learning by yourself all this time. And Katy, darling, I want to tell you how pleased I am to see how bravely you have worked your way up. I can perceive it in everything—in Papa, in the children, in yourself. You have won the place, which, you recollect, I once told you an invalid should try to gain, of being to everybody ‘The Heart of the House.’ ”

“Oh, Cousin Helen, don’t!” said Katy, her eyes filling with sudden tears. “I haven’t been brave. You can’t think how badly I sometimes have behaved—how cross and ungrateful I am, and how stupid and slow. Every day I see things which ought to be done, and I don’t do them. It’s too delightful to have you praise me—but you mustn’t. I don’t deserve it.”

But although she said she didn’t deserve it I think that Katy did!