About the prospective suitors—­I found that “prospective suitor” in a story a week ago, and I just love it.  It means you probably will want to marry her, you know.  I use it all the time now—­in my mind—­when I’m thinking about those gentlemen that come here (the unmarried ones).  I forgot and used it out loud one day to Aunt Hattie; but I shan’t again.  She said, “Mercy!” and threw up her hands and looked over to Grandpa the way she does when I’ve said something she thinks is perfectly awful.

But I was firm and dignified—­but very polite and pleasant—­and I said that I didn’t see why she should act like that, for of course they were prospective suitors, the unmarried ones, anyway, and even some of the married ones, maybe, like Mr. Harlow, for of course they could get divorces, and—­

“Ma_rie_!” interrupted Aunt Hattie then, before I could say another word, or go on to explain that of course Mother couldn’t be expected to stay unmarried always, though I was very sure she wouldn’t get married again until she’d waited long enough, and until it was perfectly proper and genteel for her to take unto herself another husband.

But Aunt Hattie wouldn’t even listen.  And she threw up her hands and said “Ma_rie_!” again with the emphasis on the last part of the name the way I simply loathe.  And she told me never, never to let her hear me make such a speech as that again.  And I said I would be very careful not to.  And you may be sure I shall.  I don’t want to go through a scene like that again!

She told Mother about it, though, I think.  Anyhow, they were talking very busily together when they came into the library after dinner that night, and Mother looked sort of flushed and plagued, and I heard her say, “Perhaps the child does read too many novels, Hattie.”

And Aunt Hattie answered, “Of course she does!” Then she said something else which I didn’t catch, only the words “silly” and “romantic,” and “pre-co-shus.” (I don’t know what that last means, but I put it down the way it sounded, and I’m going to look it up.)

Then they turned and saw me, and they didn’t say anything more.  But the next morning the perfectly lovely story I was reading, that Theresa let me take, called “The Hidden Secret,” I couldn’t find anywhere.  And when I asked Mother if she’d seen it, she said she’d given it back to Theresa, and that I mustn’t ask for it again.  That I wasn’t old enough yet to read such stories.

There it is again!  I’m not old enough.  When will I be allowed to take my proper place in life?  Echo answers when.

Well, to resume and go on.

What was I talking about?  Oh, I know—­the prospective suitors. (Aunt Hattie can’t hear me when I just write it, anyway.) Well, they all come just as they used to, only there are more of them now—­two fat men, one slim one, and a man with a halo of hair round a bald spot.  Oh, I don’t mean that any of them are really suitors yet.  They just come to call and to tea, and send her flowers and candy.  And Mother isn’t a mite nicer to one than she is to any of the others.  Anybody can see that.  And she shows very plainly she’s no notion of picking anybody out yet.  But of course I can’t help being interested and watching.