mmons that came
to Polly one night. For in the morning, quite late, after a good deal of
calling and scolding, Aunt Priscilla found she had taken the last
journey. It was a great shock. Jonas Field's errand boy was dispatched
to the Leveretts'.

The woman who came soon gave notice that she "couldn't stay in no such
neighborhood for steady company."

Mr. Leverett and Cousin Adams urged her to sell. If there should be war
she might not have a chance in a long while again.

"But I don't know the first thing in the world to do," she moaned. "I
haven't a chick nor a child to care about me."

"Come over and stop with us a bit until you can make some plans. There's
two rooms upstairs in which you could housekeep if you wanted to. Our
family gets smaller all the time. But if you liked to live with us a
spell----" said Mr. Leverett.

"I don't know how 'Lizabeth could stand an old woman and a young
one"--hesitatingly.

"If you mean Doris, she is going over to Winthrop's," he replied.

"Ready to jump at the chance, I'll warrant. You can't count on
children."

"No, Aunt Priscilla, she didn't jump. She's a wise, fond little thing.
Win asked her about Christmas, and she wouldn't consent until Betty came
back, for fear we would be lonesome. It quite touched me when I heard of
it. Win has some ideas about her education, and I guess he's nearer
right. So that needn't trouble you. It would be so much better for you
to sell."

"I'll think it over," she said almost gruffly, for she was moved
herself. "I never could get along with this Rachel Day. She doesn't
allow that anyone in the world knows anything but herself, and I kept
house before she was born. I don't like quite such smart people."

Miss Hetty Perkins came in to offer her services as housekeeper. Every
now and then she had "edged round," as Aunt Priscilla expressed it.
Everybody said Hetty was closer than the skin, but then she had no one
except herself to depend upon. And Amos Perkins called to see if Aunt
Priscilla had anyone she could trust to do her business. He heard she
was going to sell.

"I haven't made up my mind," she answered tartly. She was not fond of
Amos either.

Then the would-be purchaser found he could have a place two doors below.
He did not like it as well, but it would answer.

"It seems as if I was bound to have a rum shop and a sailor's
boarding-house under my nose. There'll be a crowd of men hanging round
and fiddling and carousing half t