nd
rational precaution, do about a quarter of what people advised, and leave
the rest undone; and she found that this worked very well.

As they knew so little of the resources of St. Helen's, and there was such
a strong impression prevailing in the family as to its being a rough sort
of newly-settled place, Clover and Katy judged it wise to pack a large
box of stores to go out by freight: oatmeal and arrowroot and beef-extract
and Albert biscuits,--things which Philly ought to have, and which in a
wild region might be hard to come by. Debby filled all the corners with
home-made dainties of various sorts; and Clover, besides a spirit-lamp and
a tea-pot, put into her trunks various small decorations,--Japanese fans
and pictures, photographs, a vase or two, books and a sofa-pillow,--things
which took little room, and which she thought would make their quarters
look more comfortable in case they were very bare and unfurnished. People
felt sorry for the probable hardships the brother and sister were to
undergo; and they had as many little gifts and notes of sympathy and
counsel as Katy herself when she was starting for Europe.

But I am anticipating. Before the trunks were packed, Dr. Carr's anxieties
about his "Babes in the Wood" were greatly allayed by a visit from Mrs.
Hall. She came to tell him that she had heard of a possible "matron" for
Clover.

"I am not acquainted with the lady myself," she said; "but my cousin, who
writes about her, knows her quite well, and says she is a highly
respectable person, and belongs to nice people. Her sister, or some one,
married a Phillips of Boston, and I've always heard that that family was
one of the best there. She's had some malarial trouble, and is at the West
now on account of it, staying with a friend in Omaha; but she wants to
spend the summer at St. Helen's. And as I know you have worried a good
deal over having Clover and Phil go off by themselves, I thought it might
be a comfort to you to hear of this Mrs. Watson."

"You are very good. If she proves to be the right sort of person, it
_will_ be an immense comfort. Do you know when she wants to start?"

"About the end of May,--just the right time, you see. She could join
Clover and Philip as they go through, which will work nicely for them
all."

"So it will. Well, this is quite a relief. Please write to your cousin,
Mrs. Hall, and make the arrangement. I don't want Mrs. Watson to be
burdened with any real care of the