Chapter 37
'Mrs Bhaer never sees reporters, sir.'
'But a few moments will be all I ask,' said the man, edging his way
farther in.
'You can't see her, for she is out,' replied Teddy, as a backward
glance showed him that his unhappy parent had vanished--through the
window, he supposed, as she sometimes did when hard bestead.
'Very sorry. I'll call again. Is this her study? Charming room!' And
the intruder fell back on the parlour, bound to see something and bag
a fact if he died in the attempt. 'It is not,' said Teddy, gently but
firmly backing him down the hall, devoutly hoping that his mother had
escaped round the corner of the house.
'If you could tell me Mrs Bhaer's age and birthplace, date of
marriage, and number of children, I should be much obliged,'
continued the unabashed visitor as he tripped over the door-mat.
'She is about sixty, born in Nova Zembla, married just forty years
ago today, and has eleven daughters. Anything else, sir?' And Ted's
sober face was such a funny contrast to his ridiculous reply that the
reporter owned himself routed, and retired laughing just as a lady
followed by three beaming girls came up the steps.
'We are all the way from Oshkosh, and couldn't go home without seein'
dear Aunt Jo. My girls just admire her works, and lot on gettin' a
sight of her. I know it's early; but we are goin' to see Holmes and
Longfeller, and the rest of the celebrities, so we ran out here fust
thing. Mrs Erastus Kingsbury Parmalee, of Oshkosh, tell her. We don't
mind waitin'; we can look round a spell if she ain't ready to see
folks yet.'
All this was uttered with such rapidity that Ted could only stand
gazing at the buxom damsels, who fixed their six blue eyes upon him
so beseechingly that his native gallantry made it impossible to deny
them a civil reply at least.
'Mrs Bhaer is not visible today--out just now, I believe; but you can
see the house and grounds if you like,' he murmured, falling back as
the four pressed in gazing rapturously about them.
'Oh, thank you! Sweet, pretty place I'm sure! That's where she