Year: 1872




The broiling sun poured down ovel


the town and even the shady street with


the elm avenue was breatlIlessly hot


Inside the Weston's old fashioned frame


house. however, there was sense Of


freshness and the broad matted hall


with cane seats, and huge bowl of pond


lilies on the marble table, was place


where, if there was any coOlness to be


had, You were sure to find it. Mrs


Weston and the girls were all up stairs


in the white frilled dressing jackets and


peticoats, fitting in and out of the large


shaded bedrooms, and backward and


forward across the upper hall, putting


the finishing touches to their prepara-


tions for a journey which the girls had


caused their fatherto substitute for their


usual quiet stay at some place among


the hills not more than two hours from
home.


Mr.. Weston was a successful lawyer,
devoted to his profession, and never SO
happy as when he was going in the
beaten track home to a one O'Clock din
ner, home again to six O'Clock tea, out
again to his Office at the latest. When
he was a young man, he had been half
over the world, and he knew his own
country pretty thoroughly east of the
Mississippi, but to his thinking no spot
so delightful as the elm shaded city
where he had lived nearly all his life.


1t was not large family. There were
only the two girls at home and one son,
James Watson, who was married and
lived in New York. Jenny and Lily
were as unlike MS possible in appear
ance. Jenny, whom her father called
Jenny Wren, was rather short and quite
plump with brown hair and eyes, rosy
cheeks and a cherry-lipped mouth
which seemed to laugh much more than
most peoples, and fortunately could
show lovely white teeth, and sweet
bright, good-tempered expression which
quite made you forget very pug nose.
Mily was the beauty of the family, and
Jenny took immense pride and delight
in her tall, graceful figure, abundant
golden hair, pure satin-like skin with
the faintest tinge of pink in the cheeks,
and large, clear, violet-blue eyes. "My
tall white Lily" she used to call her
sister who had sometimes look of frag-
lie delicacy to alarm one, and, though
not i'll, was never very strong, and was
taken care of at home as if she had been
piece of fine old china.


Both the girls were like their mother
from whom Jenny had got her plump
rounded, figure and Lily her golden
hair and violet eyes and delicate straight
features.


Come, girls" said Mrs. Weston, as
the black laudress with her face shining
like ebony brought up a great pile of
snowy whiteness hot from the iron,
''you must leave packing these things
till afternoon, and get ready for dinner
now, for you know how your father dis
likes waiting. 1 do wish he would car
ry an umbrella when the sun is so hot. |
Pm always afraid of his getting sun
stroke.' ..


"This is the last day of it mother,
and before we get back the weather
will be cool. Aren't you glad we're 60
ing tomorrow. Think of the White
Mountains and Mount Desert and Nj
agara! :" and Jenny gave little squeal
of delight. a.a


"Any letters, papa?' asked Lily, as
Mr.. Weston came into the parlor Il few
minutes later.


"Here's one for your mother from
James. 1 hope there's nothing amiss
with Fanny or the children" Mrs.
Weston opened her letter and read
aloud: "Could you or one of the girls
come to Fanny? She has been in bed
week with what the doctor calls bill
ious intermittent fever, and though he
assures me there's no present cause for
alarm, he says perfect quiet is necessary,
and that she can't get well while she
lies in bed worrying about the children
and servants, and they keep running to
her about every triie. She needs some
one to take care off her hands, and of
course her sister ought to come, but she
has arranged to start for Newport to-
day with party of friends, and says
she can't possibly break up all their
plans. How can she possibly go and
leave Fanny is more than can under
stand; but perhaps if she came she
wouldn't be of much use as she thinks
more of her own comfort than any
thing else. Poor Fannie worries about
poor little Jamie who is rather fretful
with his teeth and does not seem happy
with Ann.


Here was disappointment for some
body. Much talking and crying follow
ed since each of the three contended
that she was to be the one to give up the
pleasant journey, but Jennie carried the
day, appealing to her father to look at
her mother and sister, who were both
evidently needing mountain air and say
if it wasn't simple common sense that
she should go to Fanny; she who was
perfectly well, and strong enough for
anything. Dear little thing! she did |
look radiant with health, energy and
kindliness as she stood by her tall ia
ther with her bright, eager face turned
up to his.


OF course Mrs. Weston and Lily pro-
tested against it, but Jenny was inex-
orable and further settled the matter BY
writing letter to James telling him to
meet her at the station in New York the
next morning.


After dinner she proceeded to rear
range the trunks, without shade of
ill-humor, separating from Lily's all
her own pretty, new things. She held
up white muslin all puffings and loop
ings and valenciennes and cherry rib
bons, saying as she did so, what pity
it was that Lily couldn't wear her dres-
ses, for surely she wouldn't need this
sort of thing while she was nursing
poor Fanny.


Her mother and sister declared that
all their pleasure was gone, and they |
should not enjoy any thing without her
but Jennie insisted that would be treat
ing father very shabbily and after all
she would go some time. She would |
make father take them all again next