here was no one else.

He had not lost sight of Anthony Drayton. The father had been exigent.
Anthony, being the eldest, must take the farm when he was done with it.
The lad had worked his time out. Cousin Chilian had offered him enough
to take him to a preparatory school where he would be fitted for
college. He had come in to Boston and Chilian had been attracted to the
manly young fellow.

Cynthia was more than delighted with the privilege of the tea party.

"Some of the girls have brothers, but I don't know them very well. I
like Bentley, but he is away at school. And I'd rather have just girls."

Her admiration of the parlor knew no bounds, and it gratified him.

She had been taking lessons on the spinet, but the painting was a great
rival. And this was old, thin, and creaky.

"I have found a much better one in Boston, and the dealer wants this
because it was made in London in 1680. How strenuous some people are
over old things. It has no special interest that I know of, and is
comparatively useless."

The new ones were really the beginning of pianofortes and this one was
very sweet in tone.

Chilian had been very greatly interested in the changes. He began to
cultivate his neighbors a little more. Indeed improvements were taking
place in the town. New streets were laid out, old ones straightened,
fine new houses built. There seemed a sudden outburst of commercial
grandeur. Furnishings of the richest sort were eagerly caught up by the
shoppers, who did not think it necessary to go to Boston and buy goods
that had come in port here. Many of the old wooden houses were replaced
with brick, and the beautiful doorways, windows, roofs, and porches
still attract craftsmen and architects from different sections of the
country, while illustrators find rich material in old Colonial doorways.

Miss Winn consulted Mrs. Upham as to what was proper for a girls' tea.

"Miss Cynthia is old enough now to begin with friends in a simple
manner. The family have lived so quietly that I have not gained much
experience in such matters, and Miss Eunice doesn't feel equal to
managing it. Of course, Miss Cynthia is quite an heiress and will go in
with the best people."

"As the Leveretts always have. There's been many a cap set for Chilian
Leverett and it's been a wonder to every one that he hasn't married. But
there's time enough yet."

She came over and admired the parlors without stint.

"You see," she said confidentially,