re all for Hilda, because Hilda had brought
the sunshine back into her life, she told me.

"Girls, it was the same story everywhere. Mrs. Grahame being so
delicate, and Hilda so busy, Bell and I were there a great deal the few
days before the wedding, and we took the guests to walk and drive and so
on. Everywhere it was the same story, the joy and brightness and love
that this one girl had carried with her wherever she went. I never shall
forget it--never.

"Then--let me see--what next? Oh! I had nearly forgotten the dear little
boy, Benny, Miss Bond's adopted son. He considers Hilda his own private
property, and he was furiously jealous of Roger and everybody else. When
he first came it was quite sad, really, the child was so unhappy, and
there was no consoling him. He wanted Hilda to sing to him and play with
him just as she did when she was staying there at Bywood; and naturally
she couldn't, poor dear, though it was wonderful how she managed to be
with them all a little every day, and to see to almost everything, so
that her mother should have no care or worry. Well, where was I? oh! the
little boys. Hugh Allen, our Hugh,--I can't stop to tell you about Hugh
now, but he is the dearest, queerest little fellow,--Hugh watched all
this for awhile, and then he took Benny away with him, down into the
garden, and they were gone a long time. And when they came back Benny
marched straight up to Roger, and said, 'You are nice! you can have my
girl,' and then marched off again, and went and cried, poor lamb, till
Hugh comforted him.

"But I am not getting on with the presents, am I? We all gave her linen,
because she had to have that, and we wanted to do something ourselves;
so we, my mother and Bell and Kitty and I, hemmed every one of the
table-cloths and napkins, and embroidered the marks on all the towels,
and had a beautiful time over it. Mammy read to us part of the time
while we sewed, all the interesting weddings that she could find in
history or fiction, and that was great fun; then she wrote some funny
verses to go with them, and they really were lovely patterns, so it was
a nice present, though strictly necessary, you see. Oh, I haven't told
you about the diamonds! Helena Desmond was so funny about them! 'Hilda,'
she said, 'it was clear from the beginning that I must be offered up on
the altar of diamonds. I detest diamonds. They are absolutely
uninteresting; they are almost vulgar. Never mind, you have to have
s