sy and quiet one for the four years
following the May day when she made her choice. Study, exercise,
housework, and many wholesome pleasures kept her a happy, hearty
creature, yearly growing in womanly graces, yet always preserving
the innocent freshness girls lose so soon when too early set upon the
world's stage and given a part to play.

Not a remarkably gifted girl in any way, and far from perfect; full of
all manner of youthful whims and fancies; a little spoiled by much love;
rather apt to think all lives as safe and sweet as her own; and,
when want or pain appealed to her, the tender heart overflowed with a
remorseful charity which gave of its abundance recklessly. Yet, with
all her human imperfections, the upright nature of the child kept her
desires climbing toward the just and pure and true, as flowers struggle
to the light; and the woman's soul was budding beautifully under the
green leaves behind the little thorns.

At seventeen, Dr. Alec pronounced her ready for the voyage around the
world, which he considered a better finishing off than any school
could give her. But just then Aunt Peace began to fail and soon slipped
quietly away to rejoin the lover she had waited for so long. Youth
seemed to come back in a mysterious way to touch the dead face with lost
loveliness, and all the romance of her past to gather around her memory.
Unlike most aged women, her friends were among the young, and at her
funeral the grayheads gave place to the band of loving girls who made
the sweet old maiden ready for her rest, bore her pall, and covered her
grave with the white flowers she had never worn.

When this was over poor Aunt Plenty seemed so lost without her lifelong
charge that Dr. Alec would not leave her, and Rose gladly paid the debt
she owed by the tender service which comforts without words. But Aunt
Plenty, having lived for others all her days, soon rebelled against this
willing sacrifice, soon found strength in her own sincere piety, solace
in cheerful occupation, and amusement in nursing Aunt Myra, who was a
capital patient, as she never died and never got well.

So at last the moment came when, with free minds, the travelers could
set out, and on Rose's eighteenth birthday, with Uncle Alec and the
faithful Phebe, she sailed away to see and study the big, beautiful
world which lies ready for us all if we only know how to use and enjoy
it.

Phebe was set to studying music in the best schools, and while she