l when you were in college? I don't think it's
been right whole since. Now I have some feeling for Sam--or his future
wife."

"Well Mrs. Derrick, what shall I tell Julius?" said Miss Harrison as
she rose to go.

"Tell him?" said Mrs. Derrick enquiringly. "He wouldn't care to hear
anything about me, if you did tell him, Miss Sophy."

"Well!--he'll have to come and talk to you himself," said Miss
Harrison. "Faith, stand up for the right."

Faith went to the door with her and returned ushering in a new-comer,
even the wife of Farmer Davids.

"Husband wanted me to come and see how Mr. Linden was," she said in
meek explanation of her appearance. "He would have come hisself, but he
was forced to be in the field, and he said he wisht I'd come myself.
How is he, ma'am?"

"I hope he's better,"--said Mrs. Derrick, giving her new visiter a kind
reception and a seat. "He don't get strong very fast. How are you all
at home, Mrs. Davids?"

"We're considerable comfortable, ma'am," said Mrs. Davids taking the
chair in an unobtrusive spirit. "I am happy to have the occasion to
make your acquaintance better. Husband would have come hisself, only he
couldn't. Mr. Linden don't get strong?"

"Not very fast," said Mrs. Derrick. "I don't know just when the doctor
'll let him go to school again. I suppose you're anxious about Phil,
Mrs. Davids. But all the boys have to be out, now."

"Yes ma'am, we're anxious--and husband is anxious about Mr. Linden, and
he sent me to know. But there is such a change in Phil, ma'am,"--she
said turning to Mrs. Somers,--"such a change, you wouldn't believe! he
never would go to school before--not regular--not for nobody--not for
his father, nor for me; and it was mor'n my life was worth. My husband,
he said it was my fault; but I don't know how 'twas! And now sir, he
don't want a word spoke to him! he's off before it's time in the
morning--and he learns too, for I catch him at it; and my husband don't
think anything in the world is too good for Mr. Linden; nor of course,
I s'pose, I don't. But however he's managed or overcome it, to make
Phil draw in harness, _I _don't know, and husband says he don't. And
ma'am, was those pears good? or what _does_ Mr. Linden like? If it's on
the farm he'll get it."

It would have taken more conversational skill than Mrs. Derrick
possessed, to give a summary answer to all this; but her simplicity
answered as well, after all.

"I guess he'll like what you've been s