His voice was infinitely caressing as he pronounced my name . I had never heard it since Father died -- I had never heard it at all so musically and tenderly uttered . My ancestors might have turned in their graves just then -- but it mattered not . Living love had driven out dead hatred . `` Isobel , '' he went on , `` there was one letter unanswered -- the last . '' I went to my desk , took out the last letter I had written and gave it to him in silence . While he read it I stood in a shadowy corner and watched him , wondering if life could always be as sweet as this . When he had finished he turned to me and held out his arms . I went to them as a bird to her nest , and with his lips against mine the old feud was blotted out forever . The Life-Book of Uncle Jesse Uncle Jesse ! The name calls up the vision of him as I saw him so often in those two enchanted summers at Golden Gate ; as I saw him the first time , when he stood in the open doorway of the little low-eaved cottage on the harbour shore , welcoming us to our new domicile with the gentle , unconscious courtesy that became him so well . A tall , ungainly figure , somewhat stooped , yet suggestive of great strength and endurance ; a clean-shaven old face deeply lined and bronzed ; a thick mane of iron-grey hair falling quite to his shoulders ; and a pair of remarkably blue , deep-set eyes , which sometimes twinkled and sometimes dreamed , but oftener looked out seaward with a wistful question in them , as of one seeking something precious and lost . I was to learn one day what it was for which Uncle Jesse looked . It can not be denied that Uncle Jesse was a homely man . His spare jaws , rugged mouth , and square brow were not fashioned on the lines of beauty , but though at first sight you thought him plain you never thought anything more about it -- the spirit shining through that rugged tenement beautified it so wholly . 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 XXXXX the least pretty but Uncle Jesse was always telling me I was -- and I loved him for it .
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