Aunt Susanna had recently read a magazine article which stated that the higher education of women was ruining our country and that a woman who was a B.A. could n't , in the very nature of things , ever be a housewifely , cookly creature . Consequently , Margaret 's chances looked a little foggy ; but we had n't quite given up hope . A very little thing might sway Aunt Susanna one way or the other , so that we walked very softly and tried to mingle serpents ' wisdom and doves ' harmlessness in practical portions . When Aunt Susanna came in Laura was crocheting , Kate was sewing , and I was poring over a recipe book . That was not deception at all , since we did all these things frequently -- much more frequently , in fact , than we painted or fiddled or wrote . But Aunt Susanna would never believe it . Nor did she believe it now . She threw back her lovely new sealskin cape , looked around the sitting-room and then smiled -- a truly Aunt Susannian smile . -LSB- Illustration -RSB- `` What a pity you forgot to wipe that smudge of paint off your nose , Laura , '' she said sarcastically . `` You do n't seem to get on very fast with your lace . How long is it since you began it ? Over three months , is n't it ? '' `` This is the third piece of the same pattern I 've done in three months , Aunt Susanna , '' said Laura presently . Laura is an old duck . She never gets cross and snaps back . I do ; and it 's so hard not to with Aunt Susanna sometimes . But I generally manage it for I 'd do anything for Margaret . Laura did not tell Aunt Susanna that she sold her lace at the Women 's Exchange in town and made enough to buy her new hats . She makes enough out of her water colors to dress herself . Aunt Susanna took a second breath and started in again .
`` I notice your violin has n't quite as much dust on it as the rest XXXXX the things in this room , Kate .
around at for in of over since than that to