I too kept silence , fearing to intrude into the holy places of his thought , although I was tingling with interest in this unsuspected outflowering of romance in Uncle Dick 's life . After a time he said gently , `` Shall I tell you about it , Master ? I mean , do you care to know ? '' `` Yes , '' I answered , `` I do care to know . And I shall respect your confidence , Uncle Dick . '' `` I know that . I could n't tell you , otherwise , '' he said . `` I do n't want the Bayside folk to know -- it would be a kind of desecration . They would laugh and joke me about it , as they tease other people , and I could n't bear that . Nobody in Bayside knows or suspects , unless it 's old Joe Hammond at the post office . And he has kept my secret , or what he knows of it , well . But somehow I feel that I 'd like to tell you , Master . `` Twenty-five years ago I loved Rose Lawrence . The Lawrences lived where you are boarding now . There was just the father , a sickly man , and Rose , my `` Rose of joy , '' as I called her , for I knew my Emerson pretty well even then . She was sweet and fair , like a white rose with just a hint of pink in its cup . We loved each other , but we could n't marry then . My mother was an invalid , and one time , before I had learned to care for Rose , she , the mother , had asked me to promise her that I 'd never marry as long as she lived . She did n't think then that she would live long , but she lived for twenty years , Master , and she held me to my promise all the time . Yes , it was hard '' -- for I had given an indignant exclamation -- `` but you see , Master , I had promised and I had to keep my word .
Rose said I was right XXXXX doing it .
After about ago at before in of that to with