of an aged woman who at all reminds me of the
grandmother so indulgent to my prankful boyhood. The old man, too,
interested me; he has seen much of the world, in his seafaring life,
and related his adventures in a most unhackneyed style. I'll go and
see them every day. One of the Captain's anecdotes was very good. "An
old salt," he said, "once--once--" Bah, what was it? How very lovely
Etty looked, sitting on a cricket at the old woman's feet, and, with a
half smile on her face, submitting her polished little head to be
stroked by her trembling hands! This I saw out of the corner of my
eye.

Hark! Aunt Tabitha's call to dinner. I am glad of it. I was scribbling
_such_ nonsense, when I have so much to write better worth while.

_12 o'clock_. The night is beautiful, and it is a piece of self-denial
to close the shutter, light my lamp, and write in my journal. Peace of
mind came yesterday, positive happiness to-day, neither of which I can
analyze. I only know I have not been so thoroughly content since the
acquisition of my first jackknife; nor so proud since the day when I
first sported a shining beaver. I have conquered Etty's distrust; she
has actually promised me her friendship. I am rather surprised that I
am so enchanted at this triumph over a prejudice. I am hugely
delighted. Not because it is a triumph, however;--vanity has nothing
to do with it. It is a worthier feeling, one in which humility mingles
with a more cordial self-respect than I have hitherto been conscious
of. I can, and I will, deserve Etty's good opinion. She is an
uncompromising judge, but I will surprise her by going beyond what she
believes me capable of. I never had a sister; I shall adopt Etty, and
when I go home, we will write every week, if not every day.

But how came it all about? By what blessed sunbeams can the ice have
been softened, till now, as I hope, it is broken up for ever? People
under the same roof cannot long mistake each other, it seems, else
Etty and I should never have become friends.

As we left the door of Captain Black's house, and turned into the
field path to avoid the dust, Etty said, "I do not know whether you
care much about it, but you have given pleasure to these good old
people, who have but little variety in their daily routine, being
poor, and infirm, and lonely. It is really a duty to cheer them up, if
we can." I felt that it warmed my heart to have shared that duty with
her, and I said so. I thought she loo