the magnificent earl, "proud
setter-up and plucker-down of kings" were himself her ancestor, he
could feel nothing but pride in this fair little shoot of his noble
tree.

Before I went into the jail to see Blant after dinner, the keeper told
me of a touching and remarkable thing. Old Mrs. Tarrant, Rich's mother,
rode over yesterday to tell Blant that, although he had darkened the
light of the sun-ball for her, she freely forgave him, and hoped he
would forgive himself,--that she knew this would be Rich's message to
him if he could speak. Her words should have comforted him some; and
when I went in, it seemed to me that his face, though infinitely sad,
was more at peace.

_Tuesday._

The nurse told me this morning that Nucky would be permitted to leave
the hospital and return to the cottage to-night; and I realized that the
time had come when I could no longer keep from him the sad occurrences
on Trigger. So after dinner, taking his hands in mine, I told him the
dreadful tale. He heard it with a white face, expressing neither joy
over Todd's death, nor sorrow over Rich's (these Marrses seem to have
abnormal powers of emotional repression), and only said, "I'll go right
down to Blant."

"Yes, do," I said, "the sight of you may be just what he needs."

On his return to the cottage after supper, "Trojan" was loudly and
joyfully welcomed by the other boys; but grief and anxiety were plainly
written on his face, he had little to say, and seemed much older.

_Friday._

At noon yesterday Philip came in clamoring for a patch for his
elbow,--formerly he would have died rather than sew on a patch. I was
not surprised to hear from Hen later that he "had heared Dilsey tell
Philip at recess she couldn't abide raggeddy boys". And this morning
when Philip burst into my room with the demand, "Gimme a latch-pin", and
after some pondering I handed him out a safety-pin, with which he
proceeded to join together his sundered gallusses and trousers, Hen, who
was making my bed, contributed, "She tolt him before breakfast she never
had no respects for folks that went about with their clothes a-drapping
off 'em!"

Oh that all my twelve would fall in love!

_Monday._

This morning, after a brief reign, bows and spikes went out, and
"stilks" came in. Geordie, who now has the stable-job, had a number of
superior dogwood limbs laid away under the gear-room, ready to be sold.
Looking back, I realize that, with the