Page 96 - RotalTutor

had boiled long enough, he scraped off some and tried it. By this time the usual crowd had gathered. Louise watched his face. He chewed slowly. His face had a bland expression. “Let’s try a little butter and salt.” He liked it better, but he said it sure wasn’t as good as he expected. He tried all sorts of different things, but didn’t find any that he thought improved it much. His last taste test was with a little honey candy. He said that was quite good, and, soon, others had to try. No one felt it was as good as had been expected, since the pumpkin was so big and pretty. Alexander was sure there would be something good found for them and said he would still keep growing them. The leaves were turning brown and gold, and Louise knew her parents would be coming to take her home soon. She was excited, but, at the same time, she was very frightened. She knew how her father viewed Alexander, but she also knew her mother’s feelings. She hoped, somehow, she and her mother could influence her father to approve of Alexander. She had often written letters to her parents. She tried to tell all she dared about Alexander without upsetting her father. She shared good things he did for her and the people, and how much the people loved him. She wrote of his interest in new plants and how he would share them with his people. She was concerned that her father would think Alexander was strange, for, in a way, he was. He was different from any man she knew, but in a good way. She 94