Explore "The Key to Betsy's Heart" by Sarah Noble Ives on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Another day or two of vain grieving, and Van's gallant spirit began to react, and he showed more interest in the things around him. He would eat his food, but he was grave and solemn, and not at all like the merry rascal the Johns knew. It was not a bit like living at his own home, where he had porter-house steak and liver for his daily food. But he learned that hunger brings an appetite, and what he had was good for him, so he soon ate contentedly, as did the other dogs.
The Trimble house was not large. The upper story consisted of two bedrooms, Pete's and another like it. Downstairs was another bedroom, the kitchen, the dining-room, the woodshed, and, crowning glory of all, the "parlor. " Like most treasures of its kind in the neighborhood, it was kept with closed shutters, and one's voice was lowered a little when one crossed the threshold. Here Van was seldom allowed to come, nor did he care much.