o Mrs. Pawket: "What did I say about that new
young feller that's come to teach school? He ain't here for no
good--that's what I said!" Mr. Pawket studied the face on the envelope
with a sort of curious horror, concluding, "Ef she's what you say she
is, see to it that you don't take no more notice of her capers."

The twins now registered aggrieved expressions; they scratched curly
heads with perturbed spoons. "Medusa's hist'ry." They roared it in hurt
explanation.

After some discussion of the curious anatomical outline of the supposed
honey-bee on the seal, Mrs. Pawket finally slit the envelope with a
dinner-knife, and the twins, holding the letter between them, gave a
dashing, if slightly incorrect, reading.

"AMALFI--IT'LY--HOTEL MEDOOSA.

"DEAR MR. AND MRS. PAWKET,--This letter is from William Folsom, the
little orphan boy for whom you did so much. What do you think? This
boy who boarded with you summers is coming back to America with his
wife, an Italian lady you are both sure to love! On account of
unforeseen business necessity, Mrs. Folsom and I are forced to give
up our charming ... vill ... villain ... villy...."

Here one twin ran down. The other twin looked over his brother's
shoulder, breathing thickly.

"Vanilla," he chewingly instructed.

"Vanilla ... our charming vanilla, and on account of recent
dev-dev-devil-elope-ments we are leaving It'ly at once. You
remember the fine old property my father owned, called Cedar
Plains? As I remember, it was not far from your farm where I spent
so many happy summers. It is on Cedar Plains that Mrs. Folsom and I
plan to erect our new home, an I ... talian van ... vill ... v...."

"Vanilla." This time it was Mr. Pawket who blandly supplied the word.

"I shall count on you as good friends and neighbors and I am
anxious to have my wife meet you. We have placed the building of
our new home in the hands of an architect friend of mine who is to
be on the spot until all is completed. Our beloved household
furnishings have already been shipped to America and we are living
for the present in this hotel. We shall come home by a somewhat
cir-cus-to-us route, not arriving until our new home is ready for
us. Won't you two good friends take Mr. Badgely as a boarder, and
do give him that stunning old room I used to have?

"With the kindest good wishes to you