ehaves, after teaching all the year; she is incorrigible! 'All the
others passed without conditions, and three of them got honors, so I am
very proud and happy. This has been the best year of all; but then, I
say that every year, don't I? I do feel more and more that I am doing
the thing in the whole world that I like best to do.'

"The rest is just messages, and so on; but you see how happy she is, and
how utterly absorbed."

"My dear, it is _too_ amazing!" cried Viola Vincent. "The very thought
of teaching makes me simply dissolve with terror; little drops of water,
my dear, would be all that would be left of poor Vanity; not a grain of
sand to hold her together. Hush! let me tell you something! Last year I
tried to teach a class in Sunday school,--great, terrible boys, taller
than I was,--and I _almost_ expired, I assure you I did. They never knew
their lessons, and two of them made eyes at me, and the rest made faces
at each other; it was simply excruciating. Then the rector asked me if I
didn't think I could dress more simply; said I set an example, and so
on. I told him I was dressed like a broomstick then, as far as
simplicity was concerned, and so I was, simply and positively like a
broomstick; only my dress--it was a rose-colored foulard, _the_ most
angelic shade you ever saw, girls; just like a sunset cloud, somebody
said--happened to have ruffles to the waist, and ribbons fluttering
about more or less. He _said_ I fluttered, and I told him I certainly
did. 'I always flutter, Mr. Monk,' I said. 'When I don't flutter, I
shall be dead.' Which was true. He was quite peevish, but I was firm;
you know you _have_ to be firm about such things. Only, the next Sunday
he happened to come by when one of those great dreadful boys asked me if
Solomon's seal was tame, and I said I didn't think it was. Well, I
_didn't_! But he wrote me a note next day, saying he thought teaching
was not my _forte_, and perhaps I would like visiting better. I fully
agreed with him, so now I visit, and it is simply dandy. I just love
it!"

"Tell us about your visiting, Vi!" said Gertrude. "I am going to take it
up next winter, and I should like to know how you do it."

"My dear! Such sport! There are some dear old ladies I go to see,
perfect old ducks; in a Home, you know. I go once a week, and I put on
_all_ my frills, and never wear the same dress twice if I can help it,
and I tell them all about the parties I go to, and what I wear, and