y might have remembered that the one said, "We are
all poets when we read a poem well," and the other, "'T is the good
reader makes the good book."

It was over! The diplomas had been presented, and each girl, after
giving furtive touches to her hair, sly tweaks to her muslin skirts,
and caressing pats to her sash, had gone forward to receive the roll of
parchment with a bow that had been the subject of anxious thought for
weeks. Rounds of applause greeted each graduate at this thrilling
moment, and Jeremiah Cobb's behavior, when Rebecca came forward, was
the talk of Wareham and Riverboro for days. Old Mrs. Webb avowed that
he, in the space of two hours, had worn out her pew more--the carpet,
the cushions, and woodwork--than she had by sitting in it forty years.
Yes, it was over, and after the crowd had thinned a little, Adam Ladd
made his way to the platform. Rebecca turned from speaking to some
strangers and met him in the aisle. "Oh, Mr. Aladdin, I am so glad you
could come! Tell me"--and she looked at him half shyly, for his
approval was dearer to her, and more difficult to win, than that of the
others--"tell me, Mr. Aladdin,--were you satisfied?"

"More than satisfied!" he said; "glad I met the child, proud I know the
girl, longing to meet the woman!"

XXVIII

"TH' INEVITABLE YOKE"

Rebecca's heart beat high at this sweet praise from her hero's lips,
but before she had found words to thank him, Mr. and Mrs. Cobb, who had
been modestly biding their time in a corner, approached her and she
introduced them to Mr. Ladd.

"Where, where is aunt Jane?" she cried, holding aunt Sarah's hand on
one side and uncle Jerry's on the other.

"I'm sorry, lovey, but we've got bad news for you."

"Is aunt Miranda worse? She is; I can see it by your looks;" and
Rebecca's color faded.

"She had a second stroke yesterday morning jest when she was helpin'
Jane lay out her things to come here to-day. Jane said you wan't to
know anything about it till the exercises was all over, and we promised
to keep it secret till then."

"I will go right home with you, aunt Sarah. I must just run to tell
Miss Maxwell, for after I had packed up to-morrow I was going to
Brunswick with her. Poor aunt Miranda! And I have been so gay and happy
all day, except that I was longing for mother and aunt Jane."

"There ain't no harm in bein' gay, lovey; that's what Jane wanted you
to be. And Miranda's got her speech back, for your aunt has just s