Have you a book with
you?"
Overcome with astonishment, Edward mechanically handed him the album
once more from his pocket. Quickly turning over the leaves, Emerson
picked up the pen, and pushing aside the slip, wrote without a moment's
hesitation:
[Illustration: Ralph Waldo Emerson's second signature.]
The boy was almost dazed at the instantaneous transformation in the man!
Miss Alcott now grasped this moment to say: "Well, we must be going!"
"So soon?" said Emerson, rising and smiling. Then turning to Miss
Alcott he said: "It was very kind of you, Louisa, to run over this
morning and bring your young friend."
Then turning to the boy he said: "Thank you so much for coming to see
me. You must come over again while you are with the Alcotts. Good
morning! Isn't it a beautiful day out?" he said, and as he shook the
boy's hand there was a warm grasp in it, the fingers closed around
those of the boy, and as Edward looked into those deep eyes they
twinkled and smiled back.
The going was all so different from the coming.
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