well-to-do young New Yorker of most
excellent family. There was only Billy, Junior, among their olive
branches now to be provided for until he could look out for himself.
There was even prospect of his being sent to West Point within the year
to make a try at that which had proved too hard a problem for his
unmathematical elder brother, for Sandy had worn cadet gray long enough
to get much of the practical teaching of our famous school, though he
could not assimilate the requisite amount of the theoretical. It was the
year after the surrender of Santiago and the muster out of most of the
State volunteers that, in the goodness of his heart, Colonel Ray turned
to Marion, his wife, and said:

"Why not have Beth and 'Cilla come to us?"--and thereby hangs very much
of this tale.

"Beth," be it said at once, did not come, for, even in her reduced
circumstances and somewhat mature years, this excellent woman was sought
by an old admirer, once deemed ineligible. Beth wrote thankfully and
appreciatively to Uncle Will and dear Aunt Marion: "The Doctor has
returned to New Jersey and--the old subject." There was now no stern
parent to say him nay, and she--could not. But Priscilla would gladly
and gratefully come, and, whether or no Priscilla was grateful,
Priscilla proved assuredly glad, for Priscilla was a woman with a
mission and long in search of a field. Priscilla had often marveled at
Aunt Marion's blindness in not having earlier looked to her as the best
possible guide, example, and companion for Aunt Marion's most
interesting if much-indulged brood. Priscilla never doubted her powers,
and never dreamed of the instant protests developed when, in mischievous
mood, probably, papa had suggested having Cousin 'Cilla come to the
frontier to help mother school the little Rays. All their recollections
of that prematurely mature young kinswoman were somewhat appalling. They
regarded her as healthy children are sure to look upon an elder cousin
who seeks ever to improve her opportunities and their moral nature. Life
had had no greater trial to the trio than those rare and even
regrettable visits to mother's home and kindred where first they learned
to know the superior gifts and graces of Cousin 'Cil.

It has been said that Colonel Ray, the Spanish part of the war ended,
was a disappointed man, and that so was many another. Never waiting to
see what might result from the general rally of the Filipino insurgents,
following speedil