ften avail to secure peace."

And again: "Keep in mind the epitaph raised in honor of an exemplary wife
of the last century,--'She never banged the door.' Qualify yourself for a
similar testimonial."

"Tanta never does bang doors," remarked Amy, who had come in as this last
"elegant extract" was being read.

"No, that's true; she doesn't," said Clover. "Her prevailing vice is to
leave them open. I like that truth about a good dinner 'availing' to
secure peace, and the advice to 'caress' your bear when he is at his
crossest. Ned never does issue 'decrees,' though, I fancy; and on the
whole, Katy, I don't believe Mrs. Nipson's present is going to be any
particular comfort in your future trials. Do read something else to take
the taste out of our mouths. We will listen in 'all subjection.'"

Katy was already deep in a long epistle from Rose.

"This is too delicious," she said; "do listen." And she began again at the
beginning:--

MY SWEETEST OF ALL OLD SWEETS,--Come to your wedding! Of course
I shall. It would never seem to me to have any legal sanction
whatever if I were not there to add my blessing. Only let me
know which day "early in June" it is to be, that I may make
ready. Deniston will fetch us on, and by a special piece of good
luck, a man in Chicago--whose name I shall always bless if only
I can remember what it is--has been instigated by our mutual
good angel to want him on business just about that time; so that
he would have to go West anyway, and would rather have me along
than not, and is perfectly resigned to his fate. I mean to come
three days before, and stay three days after the wedding, if I
may, and altogether it is going to be a lark of larks. Little
Rose can talk quite fluently now, and almost read; that is, she
knows six letters of her picture alphabet. She composes poems
also. The other day she suddenly announced,--

"Mamma, I have made up a sort of a im. May I say it to you?"

I naturally consented, and this was the

IM.

Jump in the parlor,
Jump in the hall,
God made us all!

Now did you ever hear of anything quite so dear as that, for a
baby only three years and five months old? I tell you she is a
wonder. You will all adore her, Clover particularly. Oh, my dear
little C.! To think I am going to see her!

I met both Ellen Gray and Esther Dearborn the other day,