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Rh running off in streams of snow-water, and I challenge anyone to go slopping down slushy roads through an air penetrated with snow-chill and not find his out-of-door enthusiasm hanging a little limply from the experience. Probably as soon as Ethelwyn comes the world will drain off and blossom like a hyacinth. And I shall be spending the priceless days seeing them stamp bank-notes at the Bureau or gazing at the macerator in the Treasury!

To-morrow!

In half an hour I start down to the station to meet Ethelwyn.

Ethelwyn came last night. It was a Cæsarean experience. She came and saw and conquered—every one, from Minerva down to me. I think that she did it from mere force of habit. Apparently, from bits that leak out, her whole journey was in the nature of a triumphal progress. By careful calculation I find that it required the services of seven young men to get the flowers and candies with which she was laden safely on the train. Half an hour after she had started she fell in with a former school-mate and her brother (it is a curious fact, and one whose law I have not yet been able to discover, that all Ethelwyn's friends and acquaintances are possessed of interesting brothers or cousins), who relieved her of all care as far as Wilmington, and by the time that they left the porter and conductor had become her abject slaves. Of course, Ethelwyn has not explained things exactly this way; I am merely acting upon the inevitable suggestion of the course of events since her arrival. As I said, everybody here surrendered at once, and Ethelwyn is charmed with everything and everybody. Until I saw how delighted she was with the old house and its belongings I never realized the deprivations of those who have spent their lives in little new, crude manufacturing towns. Ethelwyn goes about touching the ancient chairs with small, endearing caresses; she spends hours searching into the gloom of the old portraits in the north parlor; she is full of wonder over the sugar scissors and plate warmers; she thinks Peter and Aunt Dilly the oddest people she ever saw and Minerva a splendid old dear, and Mrs. Bassett the "most fascinating little fairy witch" in all the universe. I wonder sometimes where in this venerable world she places me; I have no doubt that I rank as one of the gray-haired sisters.

We had a long talk this morning. Of course, there was no question but that she was to stay with me till Cousin Tom returned from Europe, so it was best to have the situation declared at once. Ethelwyn herself opened the way. She was standing at the window looking