the scholars. And at Mrs. Wyeth's she was Mary or Miss Lathrop or Miss
Mary, according to the age, length of acquaintance, or station of the
person addressing her. But she always thought of herself as Mary-'Gusta
and her letters written to Uncle Shad or Uncle Zoeth were so signed.

She found, after the hard work of beginning, that she could keep abreast
of her class in studies without undue exertion. Also she found that, the
snobs excepted, the girls at the Misses Cabot's school were inclined to
be sociable and friendly. She made no bid for their friendship, being a
self-respecting young person whose dislike of imitation was as strong as
ever, but, perhaps because she did not bid or imitate but continued
to be simply and sincerely herself, friends came to her. Most of these
friends received monthly allowances far greater than hers, and most of
them wore more expensive gowns and in greater variety, but she showed
no envy nor offered apologies, and if she sometimes wished, being human,
that her wardrobe was a trifle more extensive she kept that wish to
herself.

Her liking for Mrs. Wyeth grew into a real affection. And the prim and
practical matron grew more and more fond of her. The girl came to be
considered, and almost to consider herself, one of the family. The
"family" consisted of Mrs. Wyeth, Mary, Miss Pease, the other "paying
guest," and Maggie, the maid, and Nora, the cook. Miss Pease was an
elderly spinster without near relatives, possessed of an income and a
love of travel which she gratified by occasional European trips. She
and her closest friend, Mrs. Wyeth, disagreed on many subjects, but
they united in the belief that Boston was a suburb of Paradise and that
William Ellery Channing was the greatest of religious leaders. They
at-tended the Arlington Street Unitarian Church, and Mary often
accompanied them there for Sunday morning or afternoon service.

The conviction of the Misses Cabot that youthful manhood was dangerous
and to be shunned like the plague Mary soon discovered was not shared
by the majority of the young ladies. If Miss Priscilla and Miss Hortense
had had their way Harvard University and the Institute of Technology
would have been moved forthwith to some remote spot like the North Pole
or San Francisco. There were altogether too many "cousins" or "sons
of old family friends" calling at the school to deliver messages from
parents or guardians or the said friends. These messengers, young
ge