bstinate with years, that Jonathan must have tired of her or he
would never have forgotten the list of medicines she had sent him, that
Molly took Kesiah away from the sickroom entirely too often. From these
reflections she drifted naturally into an emotion of self pity, and
the thought occurred to her, as it did invariably in such hours of
depression, that her world had never been large enough for the full
exercise and appreciation of her highest qualities. If she had only
lived in a richer century amid more congenial surroundings! Who could
tell what her usefulness might have been had not destiny continually
thwarted her aspirations? Before the idea of this thwarted usefulness,
which was always vaguely associated with the moral regeneration of
distinguished historic sinners of the opposite sex, like Lord Byron
or Alfred de Musset, she began to feel that she had been not only
neglected, but wasted in the atmosphere in which she had been placed.

Jonathan's entrance, with the evening papers in his hand, broke the
thread of her reverie, and as he sat down in a chair by her side, she
wondered if he had inherited her "nature" and if he, also, cherished in
his soul the same spiritual yearnings? Her wonder was, however, entirely
unnecessary, for Jonathan had very little imagination, and would never
have wasted his time yearning over a sinner whom he had never seen.

"I stopped a minute to get into my evening clothes," he said, in the
cheerful voice of one who is a stranger to aspirations of soul. "I
thought Molly would be dressed by this time. She is usually so quick."

"Yes, she is usually very quick," replied Mrs. Gay gently, while
she gathered all the forces of her character, which were slightly
disorganized by her recent indulgence in pensive musings, to do battle
against an idea which she had striven repeatedly of late to banish from
her thoughts. "I wish, dear Jonathan," she added, "that you would speak
a few words to Molly. You have such influence with her, and I am sure I
don't wonder."

"I'll speak them with pleasure, mother. Just drop me a hint as to what
they are to be about."

"She's a sweet, unselfish girl, we all know that, but there are
times, dear, especially when strangers are present, when she appears a
little--well, a little crude--you know what I mean?"

"I fancy I know, but I don't see just what we are to do about it. You
might as well attempt to reshape Molly's nose as her character. Let's
admit t