summer noon
when all at once , and without warning , a strange something occurred in the organ she had always regarded -- and her opinion had never been questioned -- as a good , tough , love-tight heart . First there was a flutter and a tremor running all along her spine ; then her eyes filled ; then a lump rose in her throat and choked her ; then words trembled on her tongue and refused to be uttered ; then something like a bird -- could it have been the highly respectable good-as-new heart ? -- throbbed under her black silk Sunday waist ; then she grew like wax from the crown of her head to the soles of her feet ; then in a twinkling , and so unconsciously as to be unashamed of it , she became a sister . You have seen a gray November morning melt into an Indian summer noon ? Louisa Banks was like that , when , at the sight of a man in sore trouble , sympathy was born in her to soften the rockiness of her original make-up . `` There , there , John , do n't be so down-hearted , '' she stammered , drawing her chair closer and putting her hand on his shoulder . `` We 'll bring it round right , you see if we do n't .