It was embarrassing to find that their favorite relatives were not responsive to suggestions of living with them. There were arguments as to whether it wouldn’t be wiser to separate them instead of trying to farm them out in a lump. Lena favored this, because there was a chance she might be allowed to live with their darling Isobel and Chris, but thoughts of separation left Marcia stricken. Papa said no, their mama would never want them separated. During these conferences, they huddled together, even Florrie numbed into silence by their new importance, the sense of which overwhelmed them to the exclusion of grief.

Aunt Lois finally volunteered to keep them, reluctant as she was to make things any easier for Harry, until Harry made permanent plans. She said poor Daisy would turn over in her grave if they had to go to an orphanage, which was where they would end up if it was left to Harry, because he was certain to neglect them just as he had neglected Daisy.

Lena, with her new authority as female head of her family, suggested Uncle Louie’s. Uncle Louie himself said regretfully that he thought he and Betts were getting too old to manage a new family. Aunt Lois said that nothing would upset their mama up in heaven more than the thought of them turning into heathens at Uncle Louie’s. Busy as she was with her school-board work and her two teacher boarders, she would look after Daisy’s family, providing Harry could be made to “do the right thing.” If Harry had “done the right thing” in the past, poor Daisy would be alive at this minute. This phrase nettled their father mightily. He said nothing would upset poor Daisy up in heaven more than the idea of her children being bossed by Lois. If Lois had looked after her sister better when Papa, through force of circumstance, had left her in her own kin’s care, poor Daisy would be alive now. He haughtily announced he would leave his brood in the care of Mrs. Friend until he found a suitable housekeeper. He had arranged for Isobel to make them each a purple dress and coat from a bolt of serge he had thoughtfully purchased on the Big Four out of Columbus, from another commercial traveler. He mentioned that he proposed to give Lena music lessons, a wish of poor Daisy’s. He sternly advised Mrs. Friend to try and break Florrie of nail-biting, and to teach Marcia to answer when she was called, instead of acting deaf and dumb.

Mrs. Friend, much moved by this trust, took over her duties with tears in her eyes. They stayed in their old rooms with the two apartments thrown into one. She petted Florrie, deferred to Lena’s authority as the Oldest, and taught them all to be good Catholics. Papa came home only once a month usually bringing Mr. Hartwell to cheer him up. After a few months Papa got righteously indignant at Mrs. Friend’s suggestion that he buy shoes for the children and contribute a little to their board. Papa’s feelings were so deeply hurt by this lack of confidence that he ordered the children packed up at once.