ll look for him.' So I know you will.

"That _is_ Morris, he is stamping the snow off his feet at the door. Why
do you write such short letters to me? Are mine too long? O, Hollis, I
want you to be a Christian; I pray for you every day.

"Your friend,

"MARJORIE"

* * * * *

"Feb 15, 18--.

"MY DARLING LINNET:

"Now I am settled down for a long letter to you, up here in the master's
chamber, where no one will dare interrupt me. I am sitting on the rug
before the fire with my old atlas on my lap; his desk with piles of
foolscap is so near that when my own sheet gives out, and my thoughts
and incidents are still unexhausted, all I have to do is to raise the
cover of his desk, take a fresh sheet and begin again. I want this to be
the kind of a three-volumed letter that you like; I have inspiration
enough--for I am surrounded by books containing the wisdom of all
the past. No story books, and I know you want a story letter. This room
is as cozy as the inside of an egg shell, with only the fire, the clock,
the books and myself. There is nothing but snow, snow, snow, out the
window, and promise of more in the threatening sky. I am all alone
to-day, too, and I may be alone to-night. I rather like the adventure of
staying alone; perhaps something will happen that never happened to any
one before, and I may live to tell the tale to my grandchildren. It is
early in the morning, that is, early to be writing a letter, but I shall
not have much dinner to get for myself and I want to write letters all
day. _That_ is an adventure that never happened to me before. How do you
think it happens that I am alone? Of course Morris and the master have
taken their dinners and gone to school; mother has been in Portland four
days, and father is to go for her to-day and bring her home to-morrow;
Morris is to go skating to-night and to stay in Middlefield with some of
the boys; and I told Mr. Holmes that he might go to the lecture on Turkey
and stay in Middlefield, too, if he would give my note to Josie Grey and
ask her to come down after school and stay with me. He said he would come
home unless she promised to come to stay with me, so I don't suppose I
shall have my adventurous night alone, after all.

"I don't believe father has gone yet, I heard his step down-stairs, I'll
run down to say good-bye again and see if he wants anything, and go down
cellar and get me some apples to munch on to keep me from be