Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

delay I had caused, but we proceeded, amiably enough to Aunt Em’s who was pleased that we should come down. Here we talked of Christmas and school and everything else. Then we departed for Aunt Em’s. Our reception here was cool – but I shouldn’t say that, as it might lead one to think Aunt Lou was cool. Long ago, her back became lame and she never has been able to walk since; her mind became weakened, altho of late she had been improving. Then she had complained of being sick, and when we came in, she didn’t know us, and besides she was tired. She was sitting, propped up in a big chair in the dining room, with her head drooping wearily over her breast. She barely glanced up as we entered, and, without a sign of recognition, her head drooped forward again. Uncle Mart was in another room and greeted our “Merry Christmas”, cheerily enough, but it was evident he didn’t care to have us then and so, after failing to make Aunt Lou recognize us, we went out, subdued in spirit. How different this was from the Aunt Lou we used to know – so cheery and intelligent and happy and now –
      But we were climbing up a flight of stairs in Uncle Mart’s big building close by; here on the second floor lived