ng in word or manner
betrayed it. So entire was her self-control, and so delicate her tact,
not to throw the faintest shadow across the wisdom of my precipitate
arrangements. She was as happy as a bird all the way, and talked
delightfully.

We found our friends had been in a state of great excitement on our
account, having received the telegram, and knowing that we had taken the
wrong train; so that our unexpected arrival was greeted with even more
than their usual cordiality; and they were specially gratified to see
Mrs. Prentiss, who almost without looking, discovered a hundred beauties
in and around their lovely home, which it would have taken the eyes of
an ordinary guest a week to notice. The very shortness of our time to
stay, intensified our enjoyment while it lasted. Our half hour was soon
over, and we came away with our hands full of flowers and our hearts as
full of love.

We arrived in good time and met our husbands waiting for us at the
station. Dear Mrs. Prentiss did not appear to be very much fatigued
while recounting in her inimitably pleasant manner the various
experiences of the day. A restful night prepared her for the quiet
enjoyments of the next day, which we spent mostly at home, merely making
short calls in the morning on my two sisters, and slowly driving, or
rather, as I call it, "taking a walk in the buggy," through the woods,
stopping every few minutes to look at, or gather ferns or mosses or
budding wild flowers that could not escape her beauty-loving eye. The
afternoon we remained in the house, occupied with our pencils. She
painted a spray of trailing arbutus, talking while she was doing it, as
nobody else could, about things beloved and fair. Our darling Julia was
with us, completely charmed with her, and as busy as we, trying with her
little hands to make pictures as pretty as ours.

In the evening Dr. P. gave his most interesting lecture on
"Recollections of Hurstmonceaux" in our reading-room; but Mrs. Prentiss
was not able to go, which I regretted the more because I knew many
ladies would be there who came almost as much to see her as to hear him.
They were greatly disappointed, but enjoyed every word of the lecture,
as well they might. The next day was all too short. It seemed to me that
I _could not_ let them go. But she had more than enough for her ever
busy hands and mind and heart to do in preparation for going to her
summer home, and we _had_ to say good-bye.

A few short, cha