consult about it; but I think as you're great friends with Mr. Simpson
you'd better send it to him in a letter, letters being your strong
point! It's a present a man ought to give his own wife, but it's worth
trying, Rebecca. You and Clara Belle can manage it between you, and I'll
stay in the background where nobody will see me."

Ninth Chronicle. THE GREEN ISLE

Many a green isle needs must be
In the deep sea of misery,
Or the mariner, worn and wan,
Never thus could voyage on
Day and night and night and day,
Drifting on his weary way.

--Shelley

Meantime in these frosty autumn days life was crowded with events in the
lonely Simpson house at Acreville.

The tumble-down dwelling stood on the edge of Pliney's Pond; so called
because old Colonel Richardson left his lands to be divided in five
equal parts, each share to be chosen in turn by one of his five sons,
Pliny, the eldest, having priority of choice.

Pliny Richardson, having little taste for farming, and being ardently
fond of fishing, rowing, and swimming, acted up to his reputation
of being "a little mite odd," and took his whole twenty acres in
water--hence Pliny's Pond.

The eldest Simpson boy had been working on a farm in Cumberland County
for two years. Samuel, generally dubbed "see-saw," had lately found a
humble place in a shingle mill and was partially self-supporting. Clara
Belle had been adopted by the Foggs; thus there were only three mouths
to fill, the capacious ones of Elijah and Elisha, the twin boys, and
of lisping, nine-year-old Susan, the capable houseworker and
mother's assistant, for the baby had died during the summer; died of
discouragement at having been born into a family unprovided with food
or money or love or care, or even with desire for, or appreciation of,
babies.

There was no doubt that the erratic father of the house had turned over
a new leaf. Exactly when he began, or how, or why, or how long he would
continue the praiseworthy process,--in a word whether there would be
more leaves turned as the months went on,--Mrs. Simpson did not know,
and it is doubtful if any authority lower than that of Mr. Simpson's
Maker could have decided the matter. He had stolen articles for swapping
purposes for a long time, but had often avoided detection, and always
escaped punishment until the last few years. Three fines imposed for
small offenses were followed by several arrests and two impris