Rare Earth
Once he said to her, "Yo' know, every wish 'at Enoch 'ad fer you 'as come true, 'cept one. I want to fulfill that."
As he spoke he drew a small package from his pocket and handed it to her.
With trembling hand she undid the paper. It contained a pair of brown kid gloves. She could not speak. She put her careworn, large-knuckled hands up to her eyes and wept silently.
Samuel Gage did not say anything. He felt rather uncomfortable. Perhaps he shouldn't have bought her the gloves after all. He was very ill at ease. He coughed several times. His face grew very red.
"'Ang it all," he thought, "why do women 'ave to cry? 'Nough trouble in the world without that."
Why even his own eyes were a bit moist. It was foolish. He was disgusted.
At last Linda got herself under control. "What am I to say?" she asked wistfully. "So much has been done for me. I can't begin to find words to thank you."
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