6. Music Lessons

So—now the fat was in the fire. Mama, by virtue of seniority and well-established custom, stated the case with vigor. We couldn’t afford it. The church wouldn’t like it. And she was for putting her foot down on it, right now!

But when Lou came to bat it was easily to be seen that we had gone far past the place for the putting down of feet. My habitually obedient sister wasn’t merely disappointed: she was 212° angry, and didn’t care who knew it! We wanted her to be a pious old spinster and walk alone when other girls of her age were having fun. And she wasn’t going to stand it any longer! She was going back to Columbia City and get a job; any kind of job, doing washings, scrubbing floors, anything!

When Lou had finally run down, and was crying, Mama left the room, saying as she went that we’d see about that. But we all knew that that had been already well seen to. We were miles and miles beyond the point of no return.

After a while Papa said, softly, that we’d think of something better than scrubbing floors; and, meantime, we would all try to be patient with one another, and Lou could go roller-skating if her heart was so set upon it.

With that, Lou cried some more and went over to Papa and kissed him. Then, as she was about to leave the room, she came back and kissed me. And I cried a little, too. I was very proud of my sister, that night, and I envied her. It was true, as she had said, that being the preacher’s kid, in that era, was no picnic. I could have testified to that, myself.

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