"

"But she is just delightful! Only she keeps so busy, we do not see much
of her."

"And poor little Tudie! How sad it was! I can sympathise with her sister
now, for being an only child."

Then Hanny said Charlie had entered a theological seminary; and Daisy
agreed being a clergyman would prove just the calling for him, he was so
earnest and conscientious. Hanny had written everything, she thought;
but Daisy was so eager to hear it all over again.

Mr. Jasper came in. He had been back and forth, and kept up the habit of
calling on the Underhills, so nothing about Hanny surprised him.

The little girl felt rather startled when she went into the large
dining-room. At this period, there were people who spent the whole
season at the Astor House, though there were some newer hotels that were
very attractive. It was like a grand party, Hanny thought. The ladies
were so prettily attired, so bright and chatty.

When they went back to the parlour, that looked like a party, too. Hanny
felt very plain in her school-dress. There were a number of Mr. Jasper's
business friends, that he brought up to introduce to his wife and the
two girls. But they were so busy talking, that they hardly noticed any
one else.

Doctor Joe returned, armed with an invitation from Mrs. Underhill, for
Mrs. Jasper and Daisy, to come up and make them a visit; and Mrs. Jasper
said she should be glad to go somewhere, and find an old-fashioned
American home-feeling. Daisy could hardly let Hanny go. Doctor Joe
proposed that he should come for Daisy the next day, for she could not
be of any special service to her mother until some plans were decided
upon. That was a splendid thought.

They kissed and kissed, as if they were never to see each other again.
Hanny's eyes were lustrous, and her cheeks pink with excitement. And
there was so much to tell her mother.

"You must go to bed," declared Doctor Joe. "It is after ten."

"But, oh, my lessons! I have not looked at them."

"Never mind lessons now. You can get up early in the morning."

She was very tired, she had talked so much and listened so intently. And
in five minutes she was asleep, in spite of the unlearned lessons.

She studied every moment the next morning, and all the way down in the
stage, and managed to get through. She was a very good scholar
ordinarily, and ambitious to have perfect recitations. But she kept
counting the hours, for she could hardly believe Daisy Jasper was really
at