ng was
radiantly bright for her reception, and where the girls looked and felt
as though care had rolled from them for the time, or was at least so
lightened, that it seemed quite gone.

They did not read the letter until after supper, and on the evenings
when mother was with them, this meal was always a long one, for there
was so much to talk about, and somehow it seemed so natural and old-time
like, to linger about the table, that they invariably did so.

After awhile they went into the sitting-room, leaving the dishes until
later, when mama said they would all help; and seating themselves, with
many smiles and nods of satisfaction, about the fire, prepared to hear
all that Jean had to say about her new home.

_Congreve Hall, Staunton, Virginia,
November, 29th, 18--._

"DEAR PRECIOUS MAMA AND SISTERS:

"I promised to write you a long letter, and tell you all about
Congreve Hall, as soon as I had seen everything about it, and
felt well enough acquainted to tell it well. It is so beautiful
and big that I hardly know how to begin; I do wish the girls
could see it, especially Ernestine; she likes splendid, grand
things so much.

"We came out of Staunton, which is a lovely city, in a beautiful
carriage, which was waiting for us at the train. It was a lovely
day, and the sunshine was so warm that Uncle Ridley had the top
all put back, so that I could see everything. The road was so
wide and very smooth that the carriage just rolled along like we
were on a floor, and the horses were such splendid big black
ones, with harness all covered with shiny things, and they acted
as if they were as proud as could be. The driver was dressed
beautifully, nicer than the gentlemen dress at home for every
day, and when I got into the carriage he lifted his tall hat,
and called me 'Miss Dering.' It sounded so funny I pretty nearly
laughed; but Uncle Ridley looked as if it was all right, so I
thought perhaps I had better not.

"Pretty soon we began to go up hill, and I thought we must have
come very far because the horses went so fast; but we had only
come half-way. The leaves had not fallen then, and the mountains
reaching up so high, way ahead of us, did look like some
beautiful pictures that we used to see when papa took us to the
city with him. After awhile we came to a big gate, oh, so tall,
and such high post