Governor and Lady Gage, who had been very
gay in her day; and both women had seen her riding about in her elegant
carriage, often with a handsome young girl at her side.

She had some business, too, with Uncle Win. They were in the study a
long while together.

"Living with the Leveretts has certainly changed Aunt Priscilla very
much," he said later in the evening to Miss Recompense. "I begin to
think it is not good for people to live so much alone when they are
going down the shady side of life. Or perhaps it would not be so shady
if they would allow a little sun to shine in it."

Solomon was full of purring content and growing lazier every day.
Latterly he had courted Uncle Win's society. There was a wide ledge in
one of the southern windows, and Doris made a cushion to fit one end. He
loved to lie here and bask in the sunshine. When there was a fire on the
hearth he had another cushion in the corner. Sometimes he sauntered
around and interviewed the books quite as if he was aware of their
contents. He considered that he had a supreme right to Doris' lap, and
he sometimes had half a mind to spring up on Uncle Win's knee, but the
invitation did not seem sufficiently pressing.

Cary was at home regularly now, except that he spent one night every
week with a friend at Charlestown, and went frequently to the Cragies'
to meet some of his old chums. He had not appeared to care much for
Doris at first, and she was rather shy. Latterly they had become quite
friends.

But it seemed to Doris that he was so much gayer and brighter at Madam
Royall's, where he certainly was a great favorite. Miss Alice was very
brilliant and charming. They were always having hosts of company. Mr.
and Mrs. Winslow were at the head of one circle in society. And this
autumn Miss Jane Morse was married and went to live in Sheaffe Street in
handsome style. She had done very well indeed. Betty was one of the
bridesmaids and wore a white India silk in which she looked quite a
beauty.

Miss Helen Chapman was transferred to Mrs. Rowson's school to be
finished. Doris and Eudora still attended Miss Parker's. But Madam
Royall had treated the girls to the new instrument coming into vogue,
the pianoforte. It's tone was so much richer and deeper than the old
spinet. She liked it very much herself. Doris was quite wild over it.
Madam Royal begged that she might be allowed to take lessons on it with
the girls. Uncle Winthrop said in a year or two she might