VALLEY

34 RAINBOW VALLEYsaucily declaring, in the church porch at that, "Theworld isn't a vale of tears, Mrs. Taylor. It's a worldof laughter."Little dreamy Una was not given to laughter.Herbraids of straight, dead-black hair betrayed no lawlesskinks, and her almond-shaped, dark-blue eyes hadsomething wistful and sorrowful in them. Her mouthhad a trick of falling open over her tiny white teeth,and a shy, meditative smile occasionally crept over hersmall face. She was much more sensitive to publicopinion than Faith,and had an uneasy consciousnessthat there was something askew in their way of living.She longed to put it right, but did not know how.Now and then she dusted the furniture but it was soseldom she could find the duster because it was neverin the same place twice. And when the clothes brushwas to the fore she tried to brush her father's best suiton Saturdays, and once sewed on a missing buttonwith coarse white thread. When Mr. Meredith wentto church next day every female eye saw that buttonand the peace of the Ladies' Aid was upset for weeks.Carl had the clear, bright, dark-blue eyes, fearlessand direct, of his dead mother, and her brown hairwith its glints of gold. He knew the secrets of bugsand had a sort of freemasonry with bees and beetles.Una never liked to sit near him because she neverknew what uncanny creature might be secreted abouthim. Jerry refused to sleep with him because Carlhad once taken a young garter snake to bed with him ;