Una went into the closet and shut the door , went down on her knees and pressed her face against the soft silken folds . It had been her mother 's wedding-dress . It was still full of a sweet , faint , haunting perfume , like lingering love . Una always felt very close to her mother there -- as if she were kneeling at her feet with head in her lap . She went there once in a long while when life was TOO hard . `` Mother , '' she whispered to the gray silk gown , '' I will never forget you , mother , and I 'll ALWAYS love you best . But I have to do it , mother , because father is so very unhappy . I know you would n't want him to be unhappy . And I will be very good to her , mother , and try to love her , even if she is like Mary Vance said stepmothers always were . '' Una carried some fine , spiritual strength away from her secret shrine . She slept peacefully that night with the tear stains still glistening on her sweet , serious , little face . The next afternoon she put on her best dress and hat . They were shabby enough . Every other little girl in the Glen had new clothes that summer except Faith and Una . Mary Vance had a lovely dress of white embroidered lawn , with scarlet silk sash and shoulder bows . But to-day Una did not mind her shabbiness . She only wanted to be very neat . She washed her face carefully . She brushed her black hair until it was as smooth as satin . She tied her shoelaces carefully , having first sewed up two runs in her one pair of good stockings .
She would have liked XXXXX black her shoes , but she could not find any blacking .
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