rk, and had a nervous breakdown;
but I've been wondering if he didn't make a mistake, and it wasn't
the church had the nervous breakdown instead. He isn't very big nor
very little; he's just insignificant. His hair is like wet straw,
and his eyes like a fish's. His hand feels like a dead toad when
you have to shake hands, which I'm thankful doesn't have to be done
but once. He looks at you with a flat, sickening grin. He has an
acquired double chin, acquired to make him look pompous, and he
dresses stylishly and speaks of the inhabitants of this country
with contempt. He wants to be very affable, and offers to take me
to all sorts of places, but so far I've avoided him. I can't think
how they ever came to let him be a minister--I really can't! And
yet, I suppose it's all my horrid old prejudice, and father will be
grieved and you will think I am perverse. But, really, I'm sure
he's not one bit like father was when he was young. I never saw a
minister like him. Perhaps I'll get over it. I do sometimes, you
know, so don't begin to worry yet. I'll try real hard. I suppose
he'll preach Sunday, and then, perhaps, his sermon will be grand
and I'll forget how soft-soapy he looks and think only of his great
thoughts.

But I know it will be a sort of comfort to you to know that there
is a Presbyterian minister in the house with me, and I'll really
try to like him if I can.

There's nothing to complain of in the board. It isn't luxurious, of
course, but I didn't expect that. Everything is very plain, but
Mrs. Tanner manages to make it taste good. She makes fine
corn-bread, almost as good as yours--not quite.

My room is all lovely, now that I have covered its bareness with my
own things, but it has one great thing that can't compare with
anything at home, and that is its view. It is wonderful! I wish I
could make you see it. There is a mountain at the end of it that
has as many different garments as a queen. To-night, when sunset
came, it grew filmy as if a gauze of many colors had dropped upon
it and melted into it, and glowed and melted until it turned to
slate blue under the wide, starred blue of the wonderful night sky,
and all the dark about was velvet. Last night my mountain was all
pink and silver, and I have seen it purple and rose. But you ca