She was held in great respect--one could see that if only by the nods that people gave her.
On her way she passed before the house of her gallant, the sweetheart of former days, a carpenter by trade; now an octogenarian, who sat outside his door all the livelong day, while the young ones, his sons, worked in the shop.

It was said that he never had consoled himself for her loss, for neither in first or second marriage would she have him; but with old age his feeling for her had become a sort of comical spite, half friendly and half mischievous, and he always called out to her: "Aha, _la belle_, when must I call to take your measure ?" But she declined with thanks; she had not yet quite decided to have that dress made.

The truth is, that the old man, with rather questionable taste, spoke of the suit in deal planks, which is the last of all our terrestrial garments.
"Well, whenever you like; but don't be shy in asking for it, you know, old lady." He had made this joke several times; but, to-day, she could scarcely take it good-naturedly.

She felt more tired than ever of her hard-working life, and her thoughts flew back to her dear grandson--the last of them all, who, upon his return from Iceland, was to enter the navy for five years! Perhaps he might have to go to China, to the war! Would she still be about, upon his return?
The thought alone was agony to her.

No, she was surely not so happy as she looked, poor old granny! And was it really possible and true, that her last darling was to be torn from her?
She, perhaps, might die alone, without seeing him again! Certainly, some gentlemen of the town, whom she knew, had done all they could to keep him from having to start, urging that he was the sole support of an old and almost destitute grandmother, who could no longer work.