ion,"
exclaimed a young matron. "I shall return to the reception hall and listen
to the chatter of schoolgirls. I haven't outgrown my taste for it." She
laughed and passed into the adjoining room.

Her remark lead to the general breaking up of the little group. "We had
better go back to the younger set," was the sentiment of the elders.

"You must slip up now and see how nice our rooms look," cried Mary Wilson,
clinging to her father and mother. "Elizabeth brought so many pretty
things from home, our rooms look quite fine."

"Yes; do come," said Elizabeth. "We'll make you a cup of cocoa--or Mary
will. I haven't reached such a high state of perfection that I make it for
company."

"Well, just, for one moment then," said Mrs. Wilson. "We must not stay
long enough to be missed. Mrs. Williams, will you and your husband come
with us? We are going up to see the girls' rooms. They tell me that they
are very fine."

Mrs. Williams gladly accepted. She was a little old Quaker lady, in Quaker
garb, neat as the proverbial pin, and with the appearance of having just
stepped from some old painting.

"It has been so many years since I have seen a schoolgirl's room," she
said, "that I should love to see Mary's. In my day ours were
plain--painted floors and wooden beds. It was not allowable to have aught
else; but we were taught to be orderly--too much so, I thought."

"Dr. Morgan is particular about that. Mrs. Schuyler is preceptress, but
she works under Dr. Morgan's orders," said Mrs. Wilson.

"That is well. Book knowledge means little if a woman is untidy and
careless," was the response.

Elizabeth and Mary, far in the rear, acting as body-guard to the Judge,
did not hear these remarks on neatness. To Mary it would have mattered
little, for her conscience was clear so far as keeping her possessions in
order was concerned.

"Oh, father, wait just one second," she cried. "There is Miss Watson from
Muncy. I must speak with her, and ask her to go with us. She was at a
German University all last year." She hurried away, and soon returned with
a distinguished-looking young woman whom she introduced as Miss Watson.
"She is going up with us," explained Miss Wilson, "to have a cup of cocoa.
Oh, yes," as Miss Watson was about to demur, "we have eight cups now. Do
you remember the time two years ago when I invited the girls in and forgot
that I hadn't dishes enough? Yes; I have the same rooms but they're much
nicer. We have so many