intervals
of sight-seeing, shopping, etc. I hope you and Cousin Mildred will join
us at meal-times, and all times when you find it agreeable, making
yourselves perfectly at home. Now good-by for the present. I hope to be
able, after an hour's rest, to join you all at the tea-table."

With evident pleasure her invitation was accepted; an hour later she
made her appearance in the parlor, much refreshed by rest and sleep; a
tempting meal was partaken of by all, with evident appetite, the
remainder of the evening passed in delightful social intercourse, and
all retired early that they might be ready for a long day of interesting
and, to the children especially, captivating shopping; for, as Rosie
remarked, "Nothing could be more enjoyable than the business of
selecting wedding gifts and pretty things to be worn at the wedding
festivities."

She was delighted with her own finery and presents for Betty, selected
by herself with her mother's assistance, Violet occasionally giving her
opinion or advice, Mrs. Landreth and the gentlemen doing the same when
asked. They consisted of handsome jewelry and silver.

Walter, too, chose, with his mother's help, a set of gold lined silver
spoons for his cousin Betty. Evelyn's gift was a handsome silver pie
knife and salt spoons. Lulu, too, and Grace, gave silver, also a pair of
beautiful gold bracelets. The captain's own gift was an expensive set of
jewelry; Violet's a lovely bridal veil; Grandma Elsie's a beautiful and
costly diamond pin, to which she afterward added a check for five
thousand dollars. Also Dr. and Mrs. Landreth bought as their gift some
very handsome articles of dress and house furnishing.

The shopping and a little sight-seeing filled up the time till Saturday,
when they returned to Viamede by the same boat that had brought the
captain and his party to the city.

It was a very warm and joyous welcome that awaited them there from
Grandpa and Grandma Dinsmore, and little Elsie and Ned Raymond, and none
the less joyous was the greeting given to Dr. and Mrs. Landreth by their
relatives and old friends, Mr. and Mrs. Dinsmore.

To each of the four it was a delightful reunion, and much of the evening
was passed in recalling the events of their intercourse in those early
days when Elsie and her cousin Annis were happy children together, these
older ones gay, young married folks, the eldest son of each couple but a
baby boy, though now each was the head of a young family