s
losing none of her honors--and being in her element, as has been stated,
with some one "to fuss over" (her self-contained brother not yielding
her sufficient occupation in that line), begged that the wedding might
take place soon. So there was really no reason on earth why it should
not be celebrated, and Miss Wilcox be installed as assistant, and thus
all things be in running order for the new year at the Salisbury School.

"And they say he has heaps of money--Mr. Clemcy has," cried Alexia, in
the midst of the excitement of the next few days, when everybody was
trying to adjust themselves to this new condition of affairs. A lot of
the girls were up in Polly Pepper's room. "And it's an awful old family
back of him in England," she went on, "though for my part, I'd rather
have something to do with making my name myself."

"Oh, Alexia," cried Clem, "think of all those perfectly elegant old
family portraits!"

"Mouldy old things!" exclaimed Alexia, who had small reverence for such
things. "I should be ashamed of them, if I were Mr. John Clemcy and his
sister. They don't look as if they knew anything to begin with; and such
arms and hands, and impossible necks! Oh my! It quite gives me a turn to
look at them."

"We are quite distinguished--the Salisbury School is," said Silvia, with
an elegant manner, and a toss of her head. "My mother says it will be
splendid capital to Miss Salisbury to have such a connection."

"And, oh, just think of Miss Anstice's engagement ring!" exclaimed
another girl. "Oh my, on her little thin finger!"

"It's awful old-fashioned," cried Silvia, "set in silver. But then, it's
big, and a _very_ pure stone, my mother says; and quite shows that the
family must have been something, for it is an heirloom."

"Oh, do stop about family and heirlooms," cried Alexia impatiently; "the
main thing is that our Miss Salisbury isn't going to desert us."

"Miss Anstice is; oh, goody!" Amy Garrett hopped up and down and softly
beat her hands while she finished the sentence.

"Hush!" Alexia turned on her suddenly. "Now, Amy, and the rest of you
girls, I think we ought to stop this nonsense about Miss Anstice; she's
going, and I, maybe, haven't treated her just rightly."

"Of course you haven't," assented Clem coolly. "You've worried her life
nearly out of her."

"And oh, dear me! I'm sorry now,"--said Alexia, not minding in the least
what Clem was saying. "I wonder why it is that I'm forever being sorry