as methodical in the disposition of our time as
though we were in school.

None of us are very early risers, for mamma, who should naturally set
us a good example, has been too long an invalid to admit of it, and we
girls have become habituated to the luxury of breakfasting in bed, from
residence abroad and in the tropics. Not that we breakfast in bed at
the "Villa Greeley," however; we are much too sociable, and our
dining-room is too attractive, for that. But we gratify our taste for
reasonable hours by assembling around the table at half-past eight.

"Shocking!" I fancy I hear Katie exclaim. "I breakfast _at least_ two
hours earlier. How can you bear to lose so much of the beautiful
morning?"

Don't imagine, dear Katie, that I _sleep_ till half-past eight: you
must know the wakeful temperament of our family too well for that. I
find it, however, very poetic and delightful to listen to the matins of
the robins, thrushes, and wrens, from my pillows; and by merely lifting
my head I have as extended a panorama of swelling hills and emerald
meadows, as though promenading the piazza.

I have been in my day as early a riser as any one--even you, dear
Katie, have not surpassed me in this, respect; for you recollect those
cold winter days when I arose at "five o'clock in the morning," not,
however, to meet Corydon, but to attack the Gradus ad Parnassum of
Clementi by gaslight, in my desire to accomplish eight hours of
practice undisturbed by visitors. At seven, however, I used to meet
with an interruption from my German professor. Poor man! I now pity
his old rheumatic limbs stumbling over the ice and snow to be with me
at that unreasonable hour of the morning. But I then was ruthless, and
would not allow him even five minutes grace, for my time was then
regulated like clockwork, and a delay of a few moments would cause an
unpardonable gap in my day. Now, however, that my education is
nominally finished, I feel that I may without self-reproach indulge in
some extra moments of repose, for it is impossible for one to work
_all_ the time; and a quiet hour of reflection is often, I think, as
useful as continual reading or writing.

We indulge in very simple morning toilettes here, as we have no
gentleman guests for whom to dress, nor ladies to criticise us;
consequently a few brief moments before the mirror suffice to make us
presentable. A black print wrapper made Gabrielle-fashion, with our
hair brushed off pl