nothing on earth could make her lose her head. She is
cool and deliberate and far-seeing, and not apt to ask herself too many
questions about love alone when thinking about marriage. She is a
dream to look at, which Jessica isn't, but I love Jessica best.

Last night in bed I got to thinking about old Jess, and wondering how
she was making out with that bunch up there, and I almost rolled out at
the way her nose must be turning up inside of her at some of the things
she was seeing and hearing and had to take part in; and I laughed so
loud that Miss Susanna came in my room to see if anything were the
matter. I told her no, and that I was just thinking of something, so
she pattered back, and I put my face in the pillow to keep her from
hearing me again. But it was hard not to let it come out. Mother's
daughters are a mixture all right, and no more alike than if they
weren't related to one another. Being a parent must be an anxious job.
I hope I will have a dozen children, but they'll probably be right much
to manage. If I turn out to be a childless old maid, I'll adopt a boy
and girl, anyhow. I can do that if I can't do anything else.

Jessica is the clever one of our family. Florine has the beauty and
Jessica the brains, and so far nothing has shown signs in me, but
something may turn up yet. Jessica is an A.M., and she has Ideas and
Views and Opinions which she isn't stingy with and lets anybody have
who is within hearing, and she wanted to be something, have a Career
and get an Identity, which she says a woman has no chance of doing as
long as she sinks herself in marriage; but Father said she couldn't go
to any more colleges until she had had a fling at fun, for it wasn't
fair to Mother. She came out last winter and had a fearful rush
because she was so different from the other girls.

I don't believe Jessica would ever have wasted a winter doing the
things she did last year if she hadn't wanted to see for herself what
was in it, anyhow, in society I mean, so she took a header and plunged
all right. She says she has a scientific and analytical mind and she
worked it all out--the number of hours and days and weeks and months
she had spent flopping around from one party to another, and doing the
things she was supposed to do, and saying the things she wasn't
supposed to say, and then she estimated the cost in time and strength
and money and wear and tear on her character, and announced that it
wasn't a pay