146 ADVENTURES IN IDEALISM 



Two or three years later, when, after the breach 

 with the farmers at Woodbine, he fell sick and was 

 ordered south to recover, Marie accompanied him as 

 his nurse. Though a mere youngster of eight, she 

 could be fully trusted to take exquisite care of him. 

 In fact, he demurred a little against her exacting cau- 

 tion and the amount of thought which she gave to 

 his health and comfort. He felt that "fussing over 

 him," as he called it, was not the important matter it 

 was made. 



Again, when he was staying in the Catskill Moun- 

 tains after his attack of pneumonia, under her charge, 

 of course, he attempted to neglect her orders. But 

 it was of no avail. Distressed to see him set out on 

 a muddy mountain walk unprotected by overshoes, 

 Marie caught them up and ran after him. 



"Put them on," she insisted, "the doctor told me that 

 you mustn't get your feet wet." 



Metaphorically speaking, he threw up his hands. 



"My dear," he sighed, "I'm glad that you love me, 

 but why be such a tyrant?" 



Inseparable as they were, however, he would never 

 permit her fervent devotion to concentrate on him or 

 on our family alone. With a deep and selfless wis- 

 dom he kept turning her mind outward, directing her 

 budding thoughts and activities toward the service of 

 the community and the broad human interests in 

 which he himself was absorbed. 



One winter evening in Woodbine I shall never for- 



