so engrossing as Stephen's. They had met
Miss Bradley, to be sure; and Mr. Bradley was a well-to-do man with two
sons and one daughter who had been named Cleanthe, after the heroine of
a story Mrs. Bradley had read in her girlhood. Mr. Bradley had wanted
his daughter called Priscilla, after his mother; and Mrs. Bradley's
mother's name was Jemima.

"I did think Mimy and Silly two of the worst names in the world. And
there isn't any nickname for Cleanthe," was Mrs. Bradley's explanation
when any one wondered at the name.

Miss Cleanthe was a very nice, well-bred, rather conventional girl, with
none of Dolly's dash and spirit. She was a good housekeeper, and could
make all but her best dresses. They were to take the second floor of Mr.
Bradley's house, and set up their own home, until they felt rich enough
to indulge in a house owned by themselves.

George came down about this time to spend a month. He was decidedly
tired of farming.

"Of course, if I wanted to marry and build on the old place, it wouldn't
be so bad. Uncle Faid keeps in the same rut, and you can't shake him out
of it. Barton Finch is the kind of man who begins with a great flourish,
but flats out towards the end. I'm tired of them all!"

"It will be your turn to marry next," said his mother. "And then I'll
seem quite a young woman with only three children. I _do_ suppose we'll
go up to Yonkers some time and spend our old age there; though I begin
to think your father is weaned away."

George laughed. "Father seems about half Uncle Faid's age. And at
eighty, you won't be as old as Aunt Crete. If I had lots of money, to do
as I liked--but farming so near by doesn't amount to much."

The Germans and Swiss had to come in and show us about market-gardening
and floriculture.

George went down-town with Stephen, and talked with Ben, and listened to
the groups on every corner discussing the golden land. He was young and
strong; why shouldn't he go and seek his fortune?

Miss Bradley had a very nice evening wedding, with dancing and a supper.
She was very well looking, but not as handsome as Margaret, or as pretty
and piquant as Dolly. She did not seem to come close to their hearts, as
Dolly had; though Mrs. Underhill was very well satisfied, and knew she
would make John happy. John was a sort of solid, sober-going fellow,
quite different from Steve and Joe.

CHAPTER VII

THROUGH THE EYES OF YOUTH

Then George surprised everybody by his deter