ust never let her think we have any grudge against her because
we were the ones that won the Revolution," said Molly. "It wouldn't be
polite to pick at her because she isn't an American. Do you suppose
she will be very snippy, Polly? and will be disagreeable and run down
America?"

"Oh, my, I hope not; I'd hate her to be that way," returned Polly
alarmed at such a prospect. "It would be dreadful for us to be
quarreling all the time and of course we couldn't keep still if she
runs down our country. What shall we do if she does?"

"Send her to me," said Uncle Dick.

This settled the matter and was a relief to both little girls, who
considered that what Uncle Dick didn't know was not worth knowing,
besides he had a smiling way of putting down persons who bragged too
much, as the cousins well knew.

"I am just crazy to see her, and yet somehow I dread it," Polly told
Molly.

Molly confessed to much the same feeling and declared that she would be
glad when the first meeting was over and they were all acquainted.
Then she undertook to show Polly more of her favorite haunts and it was
suppertime before they had begun to see all they wished to.

The next week Mary arrived with Mrs. Shelton who remained but a short
time before she resumed her journey. Mary was a slim, pale,
plainly-dressed little girl who looked not at all as her cousins
imagined. She did not seem shy but she had little to say at first,
sitting by herself in a corner of the porch as soon as dinner was over
and answering only such questions as were put to her.

"Did you have a pleasant trip?" asked Molly by way of beginning the
acquaintance.

"No," returned Mary. "Fancy being seasick nearly all the way."

"Oh, were you? Wasn't that disagreeable?"

"Most disagreeable," returned Mary.

There was silence for a few minutes and then Mary put her first
question: "Do you always eat your meals with your parents, or only when
you are at a curious place like this?"

"Why, we always do," Polly answered. "Where would you expect us to eat
them? In the kitchen?"

"No," returned Mary; "in the nursery."

"There is no nursery here, you know," Molly informed her.

"Yes, I know; that is why I asked. But in the city, or in your own
home you have a nursery?"

"Yes, we have," Polly told her, "but we don't eat there."

"Really?" Mary looked much surprised. "And do you come to the table
with the grown persons?"

"Why, certainly."

"How curious!"