Uncle Jesse was quite keenly aware of his lack of outward comeliness and lamented it , for he was a passionate worshipper of beauty in everything . He told Mother once that he 'd rather like to be made over again and made handsome . `` Folks say I 'm good , '' he remarked whimsically , `` but I sometimes wish the Lord had made me only half as good and put the rest of it into looks . But I reckon He knew what He was about , as a good Captain should . Some of us have to be homely or the purty ones -- like Miss Mary there -- would n't show up so well . '' I was not in the least pretty but Uncle Jesse was always telling me I was -- and I loved him for it . He told the fib so prettily and sincerely that he almost made me believe it for the time being , and I really think he believed it himself . All women were lovely and of good report in his eyes , because of one he had loved . The only time I ever saw Uncle Jesse really angered was when someone in his hearing cast an aspersion on the character of a shore girl . The wretched man who did it fairly cringed when Uncle Jesse turned on him with lightning of eye and thundercloud of brow . At that moment I no longer found it hard to reconcile Uncle Jesse 's simple , kindly personality with the wild , adventurous life he had lived . We went to Golden Gate in the spring . Mother 's health had not been good and her doctor recommended sea air and quiet . Uncle James , when he heard it , proposed that we take possession of a small cottage at Golden Gate , to which he had recently fallen heir by the death of an old aunt who had lived in it . `` I have n't been up to see it , '' he said , `` but it is just as Aunt Elizabeth left it and she was the pink of neatness . The key is in the possession of an old sailor living nearby -- Jesse Boyd is the name , I think . I imagine you can be very comfortable in it . It is built right on the harbour shore , inside the bar , and it is within five minutes ' walk of the outside shore . '' Uncle James 's offer fitted in very opportunely with our limp family purse , and we straightway betook ourselves to Golden Gate . We telegraphed to Jesse Boyd to have the house opened for us and , one crisp spring day , when a rollicking wind was scudding over the harbour and the dunes , whipping the water into white caps and washing the sandshore with long lines of silvery breakers , we alighted at the little station and walked the half mile to our new home , leaving our goods and chattels to be carted over in the evening by an obliging station agent 's boy .
* * * * * Our first glimpse of Aunt Elizabeth 's cottage was a delight XXXXX soul and sense ; it looked so like a big grey seashell stranded on the shore .
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