at will fit you for London when we go. For it is most
certain, by the looks of things, that the rebellion will soon be
brought to an end. The winter in Philadelphia was a great mistake,
though pleasant enough to me. And you must be now a pretty young woman
that I should be proud to have. If Madam Wetherill feels that she is not
young enough for gayety, I have some friends here who will be glad to
take charge of a fair young girl, and I shall be most happy with my
charming sister. There are parties coming almost every week, and I can
find safe escort. Do not disappoint me."

"What wilt thou do?" asked Madam Wetherill. "Thou art no longer a little
girl, Primrose, though it grieves me to say it. Patty scolds about
lengthening thy gowns all the time, and Anabella is sure I will keep
thee an old maid. Though between two stools she is like to come to the
floor for aught I see. Her British lover never so much as wrote her a
line, and young Matthews, that she made quite certain of, hath married
Kitty Strong. She need not worry about thee, since thou hast nearly two
years' grace behind her. But her mother was so foolishly hasty to have
her married."

"But I want to stay a little girl," cried Primrose eagerly. "I hate a
big hoop and a monstrous topknot that pulls my hair, and a bunch of
feathers that makes one look like an Indian sachem."

She made such a pretty pouting mouth, like a rose half-blown, that madam
laughed.

"And then one can run around with Patty and tease the boys who sell pink
calamus buds, and buy 'Peppery pot, smoking hot.'" She was such a good
mimic it sounded exactly like the venders.

"I am afraid I have spoiled thee. But it is thy brother whom we must
consider. He may have some rights."

"What rights, indeed, to a rebel maiden who would hate the sight of so
many red coats together?"

"Still thou dost love him a little. Surely he is thy nearest kin."

"I can never think whether I love him dearly or only a little. When I
pull a daisy out it says only a little. And when I blew a puffy
dandelion out to tell me where my true love dwelt, it went south instead
of north."

"But the great city. I was there once, years ago. It hath many queer
things and reminders of the old Dutch people who settled it. And it has
a beautiful river and an island south of it, and a short way out to the
ocean."

"As if we did not have our fine and noble Delaware that runs on and up
past the Jerseys to the State of New York.