Chapter 7A Difficult Time

          ‘I saw Morris often when you were away,’ said Catherine’s aunt.

          ‘I know from his letters that you were very nice to him. 1 won’t forget that, aunt.’

          ‘He liked to come and talk. I gave him tea — that was all. Your Aunt Almond thought it was too much. He liked to sit in your father’s room,’ she said and smiled.

          Catherine was quiet for a minute.

They talked for some time as lovers.

vv v

Chapter 6The Long Wait

          Morris was more handsome than Catherine remembered. He put his arms round her. She knew that she loved him very much.

          ‘Why did you send for me?’

          ‘Because I wanted to see you,’ said the girl quietly.

          ‘Do you want only to look at me? Or to tell me something?’

           He waited. Then he suddenly said, ‘Marry me tomorrow. Take me or leave me. Decide between me and your father.’

          ‘I want you, Morris.

Chapter 5Mrs Penniman’s Plan

          Catherine did not speak about Morris to her father.

          After some days, he said to her, ‘I’m lucky to have a good daughter.’

          ‘I’m trying to be good,’ she answered.

          Catherine did not see Morris at this time, but she wrote to him. A long letter of five pages. Morris thought it was long. She asked him not to visit for a time.

          Morris wrote back. He talked about his meeting with Dr Sloper.

Chapter 4For Love or Money?

          Catherine heard her father come home that evening. She stood outside the door of his room for nearly half an hour. Then she went in. He sat in his chair by the fire, with a cigar in his hand, and read the newspaper.

          ‘I have something to say to you,’ she began, very quietly. She sat down. ‘I’m going to marry Morris Townsend.’ The doctor looked at her. ‘When did he ask you?’

          ‘This afternoon — four hours ago,’ she answered.

Chapter 3Secrets

          To Dr Sloper, the thing was a game. He slept well, he ate well. ‘This young man is trying to catch Catherine. I’ll watch and wait,’ he thought. He did not think his daughter was in danger. Morris Townsend was not rich, but that was not important. The doctor did not want Catherine to marry a rich man. ‘Two people can live on her money. She can marry a man with no money. But he must be honest and strong and have a good schooling,’ thought the doctor.

Chapter 2A Man with No Profession

          Three or four days later, Morris Townsend, together with Arthur Townsend, visited Washington Square.

          ‘Arthur is going to marry my sister’s daughter, Marian, so the polite thing is for Arthur to visit me,’ Aunt Penniman said to Catherine before they came.

          And here they were. Arthur sat with Catherine, Morris sat with Mrs Penniman. Catherine tried to listen to Morris and her aunt. Morris often looked over at Catherine and smiled.

     ‘What a nice evening! What a beautiful house! What an interesting family! What a pretty girl Marian is!’

          He looked into Catherine’s eyes. She said nothing. He talked and she listened and looked at him. The dancing began again. He asked her to dance and she gave him her arm. After the dance, her face was red and she was hot.

          ‘We’ll sit and talk,’ said Mr Townsend. But he talked and Catherine listened. Catherine sat back. She thought he was very clever.

          Three or four days later, Morris Townsend, together with Arthur Townsend, visited Washington Square.

          ‘Arthur is going to marry my sister’s daughter, Marian, so the polite thing is for Arthur to visit me,’ Aunt Penniman said to Catherine before they came.

          And here they were. Arthur sat with Catherine, Morris sat with Mrs Penniman. Catherine tried to listen to Morris and her aunt. Morris often looked over at Catherine and smiled.

Chapter 1An Ordinary Girl

          Many years ago in the city of New York, there lived a doctor. America likes doctors and New York liked Dr Sloper. At the time our story begins, in 1843, Dr Sloper was fifty years old. He was a good doctor, he was a man of the world, and he was honest.

          Life was good to him. At twenty-seven he married a beautiful and clever girl. She had pretty eyes, ten thousand dollars and a good place in society. For five years Dr Sloper was a happy man. Many of his wife’s friends came to him and he did well in his profession.

Easter Messages for Family 

For many of us, Easter is all about the traditions we share with family. That makes it a perfect time to reach out to family members and remind them how much those shared ties and memories mean.

Examples

• “At Easter and always, so grateful for all we share as family.”
• “Mom, you’re there at the heart of all my best Easter memories. Thank you for always making it such a fun and colorful time in our family.”
• “Remembering all those years of matching Easter dresses, egg hunts and candy swaps…and thinking of how good it still is having you for my sister.”
• “Celebrating the joy of Easter, the promise of spring and the lifelong blessing of having parents like you.”
• “Warmer, brighter, happier, LOUDER—that’s how Easter (and every day) has been with a son like you!”