`` We had cold tongue and chicken and strawberry preserves , lemon pie and tarts and chocolate cake and raisin cookies and pound cake and fruit cake -- and a few other things , including more pie -- caramel pie , I think it was . After I had eaten twice as much as was good for me , Mrs. Douglas sighed and said she feared she had nothing to tempt my appetite . '' ` I 'm afraid dear Janet 's cooking has spoiled you for any other , ' she said sweetly . ` Of course nobody in Valley Road aspires to rival HER . WO N'T you have another piece of pie , Miss Shirley ? You have n't eaten ANYTHING . ' `` Stella , I had eaten a helping of tongue and one of chicken , three biscuits , a generous allowance of preserves , a piece of pie , a tart , and a square of chocolate cake ! '' After tea Mrs. Douglas smiled benevolently and told John to take `` dear Janet '' out into the garden and get her some roses . `` Miss Shirley will keep me company while you are out -- wo n't you ? '' she said plaintively . She settled down in her armchair with a sigh . `` I am a very frail old woman , Miss Shirley . For over twenty years I 've been a great sufferer . For twenty long , weary years I 've been dying by inches . '' `` How painful ! '' said Anne , trying to be sympathetic and succeeding only in feeling idiotic . `` There have been scores of nights when they 've thought I could never live to see the dawn , '' went on Mrs. Douglas solemnly . `` Nobody knows what I 've gone through -- nobody can know but myself . Well , it ca n't last very much longer now . My weary pilgrimage will soon be over , Miss Shirley .
It is a great comfort to me that XXXXX will have such a good wife to look after him when his mother is gone -- a great comfort , Miss Shirley . ''
Anne Douglas Janet John Shirley Stella WO strawberry tarts years