human
You don't like Mr. Jerry very much, do you?
gpt
I'm too busy to know whether I do or not. Miss Thorley half closed her eyes and looked at Mary Rose in the funny way she did when she was painting.
human
My work takes all of my time. Chin up, Mary Rose.
gpt
Yes'm. Mary Rose tilted her chin a little higher.
human
You aren't under any obligation to think of him, of course, but if your cat was boarding with him and he had borrowed your dog you'd just have to keep him in your mind and heart. And he's worth thinking of. He's a very fine young man. Everyone says so. Jimmie adores him and he hasn't known him a week. You've known him lots longer than that, haven't you? She spoke as if she could not understand how Jimmie could be so much more clever. It must be on account of the spell that old Independence had put upon Miss Thorley. There couldn't be any other reason for not liking Mr. Jerry. He was so altogether likeable. Mary Rose sighed at life's complications.
gpt
I just love Mr. Jerry myself. I can't help it, she went on more slowly.
human
I wish you did, too, wistfully.
gpt
It's much more pleasant when the people you love will love each other. It gives you such a comfortable feeling as if you didn't care if Heaven was so far away. I do think this world would be almost as wonderful as Heaven if everyone would love everyone else.
human
There is no doubt of that,
gpt
Then will you try and love my friends? eagerly. She almost lost her pose in her eagerness.
human
I'll love yours. Every one! I will! I can because I have a big heart. Did you know that the more you put into a heart the more it will hold? It's the hearts that haven't anyone in them that are so little and hard. I think hearts must be like balloons. You can blow and blow and blow into balloons and there's always room for some more breath.
gpt
Unless they break. Balloons break, Mary Rose, and so do hearts.
human
Mine never did. And anyway I'd rather have my heart break from being too full than get hard because it didn't have anyone in it. I'd like to have the very biggest heart in the whole world!
gpt
Big enough to hold Mr. Wells? Did you know he was ill, Mary Rose? His Jap came up last night and asked Miss Carter not to play on the piano because Mr. Wells wasn't well and didn't wish to be disturbed.
human
Mr. Wells sick? Mary Rose was much concerned.
gpt
What's the matter?
human
Haven't you been down to ask?
gpt
Gracious, no! I shouldn't dare. He'd probably bite my head off.
human
He couldn't bite your head off if he was sick. It doesn't seem real neighborly, Miss Thorley. And you are neighbors. You live right over his head. I expect he has dyspepsia and that's the reason he looked so-- she hesitated over a word,
gpt
It isn't fair but I rather think it's human.
human
Sometimes I think that human and disagreeable mean the same thing because people all say the bad things we do are human. Where did we learn them, Miss Thorley? The Lord made us all good because it wouldn't have paid him to make us bad. Where do you suppose Mr. Lewis learned to snap and Mr. Wells to scold and you to frown?
gpt
Bless me! child, how do I know? That's enough for one day. She put the drawing board on the table and stretched herself luxuriously.
human
Try and be on time tomorrow, Mary Rose, and I think we can finish it.
gpt
Yes'm. Mary Rose stared at the drawing which was a very wonderful thing to her.
human
Don't you believe Mr. Bingham Henderson 'll be pleased with it? It's a beautiful picture of Jenny Lind.
gpt
It's a beautiful picture of you, if I do say it,
human
I wish Mr. Jerry could see it.
gpt
He can. He'll have lots of opportunity to see it when it is on the back of a magazine. Run along, now. Skip!