could be more respectable. Aunt Stanbury says
that with the money she would give us we should be quite
comfortable; and she wants us to live in this house. She
says that there are thirty girls round Exeter who would
give their eyes for such a chance; and, looking at it
in that light, of course, it is a very great thing for
me. Only think how poor we have been! And then, dear
Priscilla, perhaps he would let me be good to you and dear
mamma!

But of course he will ask me whether I--love him; and what
am I to say? Aunt Stanbury says that I am to love him.
"Begin to love him at once," she said this morning. I
would if I could, partly for her sake, and because I do
feel that it would be so respectable. When I think of it,
it does seem such a pity that poor I should throw away
such a chance. And I must say that Mr. Gibson is very
good and most obliging; and everybody says that he has
an excellent temper, and that he is a most prudent,
well-dispositioned man. I declare, dear Priscilla, when I
think of it, I cannot bring myself to believe that such a
man should want me to be his wife.

But what ought I to do? I suppose when a girl is in love
she is very unhappy if the gentleman does not propose to
her. I am sure it would not make me at all unhappy if I
were told that Mr. Gibson had changed his mind.

Dearest Priscilla, you must write at once, because he is
to be here on Friday. Oh, dear; Friday does seem to be so
near! And I shall never know what to say to him, either
one way or the other.

Your most affectionate sister,

DOROTHY STANBURY.

P.S.--Give my kindest love to mamma; but you need not tell
her unless you think it best.

Priscilla received this letter on the Wednesday morning, and felt
herself bound to answer it on that same afternoon. Had she postponed
her reply for a day, it would still have been in Dorothy's hands
before Mr. Gibson could have come to her on the dreaded Friday
morning. But still that would hardly give her time enough to consider
the matter with any degree of deliberation after she should have been
armed with what wisdom Priscilla might be able to send her. The post
left Nuncombe Putney at three; and therefore the letter had to be
written before their early dinner.

So Priscilla went into the garden and sat herself down under an old
cedar that she might discuss the matter with herself in all