brown paper," but we knew he was just joking. When we came
away Mrs. Brandigee gave me a prayer book and Anna a vase, but she
didn't like it and said she should tell Mrs. Brandigee she wanted a
prayer book too, so I had to change with her. When we came home Mr.
Brandigee put us in care of the conductor. There was a fine soldier
looking man in the car with us and we thought it was his wife with him.
He wore a blue coat and brass buttons, and some one said his name was
Custer and that he was a West Point cadet and belonged to the regular
army. I told Anna she had better behave or he would see her, but she
would go out and stand on the platform until the conductor told her not
to. I pulled her dress and looked very stern at her and motioned toward
Mr. Custer, but it did not seem to have any impression on her. I saw Mr.
Custer smile once because my words had no effect. I was glad when we got
to Canandaigua. I heard some one say that Dr. Jewett was at the depot to
take Mr. Custer and his wife to his house, but I only saw Grandfather
coming after us. He said, "Well, girls, you have been and you have got
back," but I could see that he was glad to have us at home again, even
if we are "troublesome comforts," as he sometimes says.

_July_ 4.--Barnum's circus was in town to-day and if Grandmother had not
seen the pictures on the hand bills I think she would have let us go.
She said it was all right to look at the creatures God had made but she
did not think He ever intended that women should go only half dressed
and stand up and ride on horses bare back, or jump through hoops in the
air. So we could not go. We saw the street parade though and heard the
band play and saw the men and women in a chariot, all dressed so fine,
and we saw a big elephant and a little one and a camel with an awful
hump on his back, and we could hear the lion roar in the cage, as they
went by. It must have been nice to see them close to and probably we
will some day.

[Illustration: Grandmother's Rocking Chair, "The Grandfather Clock"]

_August_ 8.--Grandfather has given me his whole set of Waverley novels
and his whole set of Shakespeare's plays, and has ordered Mr. Jahn, the
cabinetmaker, to make me a black walnut bookcase, with glass doors and
three deep drawers underneath, with brass handles. He is so good. Anna
says perhaps he thinks I am going to be married and go to housekeeping
some day. Well, perhaps he does. Stranger things have happened. "Bar