t one isn't fair play.' And Mrs Jo hung up her apron in
the hall closet, with a groan at the trials of her lot.

'More people coming up the avenue! Better dodge while the coast is
clear! I'll head them off!' cried Teddy, looking back from the steps, as
he was departing to school.

Mrs Jo flew upstairs, and having locked her door, calmly viewed a young
ladies' seminary camp on the lawn, and being denied the house, proceed
to enjoy themselves by picking the flowers, doing up their hair,
eating lunch, and freely expressing their opinion of the place and its
possessors before they went.

A few hours of quiet followed, and she was just settling down to a long
afternoon of hard work, when Rob came home to tell her that the Young
Men's Christian Union would visit the college, and two or three of the
fellows whom she knew wanted to pay their respects to her on the way.

'It is going to rain, so they won't come, I dare say; but father thought
you'd like to be ready, in case they do call. You always see the boys,
you know, though you harden your heart to the poor girls,' said Rob, who
had heard from his brother about the morning visitations.

'Boys don't gush, so I can stand it. The last time I let in a party of
girls one fell into my arms and said, "Darling, love me!" I wanted to
shake her,' answered Mrs Jo, wiping her pen with energy.

'You may be sure the fellows won't do it, but they will want autographs,
so you'd better be prepared with a few dozen,' said Rob, laying out a
quire of notepaper, being a hospitable youth and sympathizing with those
who admired his mother.

'They can't outdo the girls. At X College I really believe I wrote
three hundred during the day I was there, and I left a pile of cards and
albums on my table when I came away. It is one of the most absurd and
tiresome manias that ever afflicted the world.'

Nevertheless Mrs Jo wrote her name a dozen times, put on her black silk,
and resigned herself to the impending call, praying for rain, however,
as she returned to her work.

The shower came, and feeling quite secure, she rumpled up her hair, took
off her cuffs, and hurried to finish her chapter; for thirty pages a day
was her task, and she liked to have it well done before evening. Josie
had brought some flowers for the vases, and was just putting the last
touches when she saw several umbrellas bobbing down the hill.

'They are coming, Aunty! I see uncle hurrying across the field to
receive them