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NEXT MORNING, as Hattie walked downstairs, she found Grandhtit when Hattie pulled up her chair Hattie wore a gri skirt Her hair was a knotted, hard bun behind her ears, her face was scrubbed pale, lean of color in the cheeks and lips Her painted eyebrows and eyelashes were gone Her fingernails were plain

“You’re late, Hattie,” they all said, as if an agreement had been made to say it when she sat down

“I know” She did not move in her chair

“Better not eat ht-thirty You should’ve been at school What’ll the superintendent say? Fine example for a teacher to set her pupils”

The three stared at her

Hattie was s

“You haven’t been late in twelve years, Hattie,” said Aunt Maude

Hattie did not

“You’d better go,” they said

Hattie walked to the hall to take down her green umbrella and pinned on her ribboned flat straw hat They watched her She opened the front door and looked back at the moment, as if about to speak, her cheeks flushed They leaned toward her She s the door

THE GREAT FIRE

THE MORNING THE great fire started, nobody in the house could put it out It waswith us while her parents were in Europe, as all aflame So nobody could smash the littlein the red box at the corner and pull the trigger to bring the gushing hoses and the hatted firenited cellophane, Marianne came downstairs, plumped herself with a loud cry or h to fill a tooth cavity

Mother and fatherexcessive

“Good , Marianne”

“What?" Marianne looked beyond people and spoke vaguely “Oh, good ”