vigor and sweetness

Mrs. Lyndsay—comely, rosy, in the vigor of young middle-life—was the first to welcome the sun, as it came over the hills beyond the river. In the camps was stir of breakfast, and silent, inverted cones of smoke from the fires. Soon Rose, on the edge of the cliff, cried “Good morning!” and the mother saw the strong, well-built girl come toward her, and had pride in her vigor and sweetness. They kissed, and the mother went in, and Rose back to her maiden meditations　wet cat food　.

She sat down on a camp-stool, and felt that for the first time she had leisure to think. She and her aunt had been met by her father when their steamer came, and amidst incessant questions they had been hurried off into the wilds of New Brunswick. A year away had made for her new possibilities of observation, and now, with surprised interest, she found herself in the center of a household which, assuredly, even to the more experienced, would have seemed peculiar. It was, in fact, more peculiar than odd. There was no eccentricity, but much positive character. This Rose Lyndsay saw as she had never seen it before. The growth of definitely marked natures in the boys struck 14her, the fresh air of a kind of family freedom rare elsewhere; the audacity of the lads’ comments, and their easy relations with the father, were things which now she saw anew with more thoughtfully observant eyes　Comfort Zone　.

It were well to say, however, that it was a republic with sudden probabilities of dictatorship, and that a stranger coming within its circle rarely beheld much of the outspoken fashions and droll appearance of equality which, at times, seemed to disregard the deference ordinarily yielded to parental opinion. In fact, there was a comfortable sense of comradeship all around, which had its values, and with it an affection so strong that the wounds of all intellectual differences, and of the somewhat rare physical contests of the boys, were easily healed by its constancy, and by the father’s power to make each see in all the rest their specifically valuable traits. Some things which in other households are looked upon as serious were in this little noticed,—while, as to certain lapses, punishment was apt to be severe enough.

By and by Ned came out and sat down by Rose. He was the most silent of them all　leadership skills
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“Well,” said Rose, as he kissed her, “isn’t it beautiful, Ned? Look at the low meadows down below the elms, and the cliffs opposite, and the wild water! Don’t you love it?”

The twins were scarcely more than wide-awake enough to settle down to serious work at bread and butter and porridge. The canned milk they pronounced abominable, but soon learned that Mrs. Maybrook’s cows would furnish a fair supply of their essential diet. Miss Anne came in a little wearily, glad as she moved of the stay of a chair-back and the boys’ help, for they all rose at once.

“Did you sleep well?” said Lyndsay.

“No; worse than usual.”

“I thought by your smiling you would have had a good night, but your dear old face is a dreadful purveyor of fibs. Are you feeling badly to-day?”