nd come up-stairs when
they had finished their tea."

Joe was sitting astride a chair, tilting it up and down and talking to
his mother.

"Oh, yes, your royal highness. Phil, if you have finished your tea----"
and Joe laughed, inwardly knowing some other business had been concluded
as well.

They had a delightful quadrille. Then Miss Butler sang a fascinating
song--"The Mocking-Bird." Two of the gentlemen sang several of the
popular airs of the day, and the party broke up. The little girl had
gone to bed some time before, though she declared she wasn't a bit
tired, and her eyes shone like stars.

The very next day it snowed, so the ladies could have no day at all.
There was sleigh-riding and merry-making of all sorts. One day Dr.
Hoffman came and took Margaret and her little sister out in a dainty
cutter. Then he used to drop in St. Thomas' Church and walk home with
her evenings. Father Underhill felt quite guilty in not forewarning his
wife of the conspiracy, but one evening she mistrusted.

"Margaret is altogether too young to keep company," she declared in an
authoritative way.

"Margaret is nineteen," said her father. "And you were only twenty when
I married you."

"That's too young."

"Seems to me we were far from miserable. As I remember it was a very
happy year."

"Don't be silly, 'Milyer. And you're so soft about the children. You
haven't a bit of sense about them."

In her heart she knew she would not give up one year of her married life
for anything the world could offer.

"Margaret knows no more about housekeeping than a cat," she continued.

"Well, there's time for her to learn. And perhaps she will not really
like the young man."

"She likes him already. 'Milyer, you're blind as a bat."

"Well, if they like each other--it's the way of the world. It's been
going on since Adam."

"It's simply ridiculous to have Margaret perking herself up for beaux."

"I guess you'll have to let the matter go Hoffman is well connected and
a nice young fellow."

Yes, she had to let the matter go on. She was unnecessarily sharp with
Margaret and pretended not to see; she was extremely ceremonious with
the young man at first. She didn't mean to have him coming to tea on
Sunday evenings, a fashion that still lingered. But Dolly was very good
to the young lovers, and they had so many mutual friends. Then Margaret
was quite shy, she hardly knew what to make of the attentions that were
so reverent and sweet.