Mrs. Hargrove has given me her will to keep for her, and the sealed instructions for her burial.  I hope when the time comes the two behests will strike a balance, but I doubt it.

Her ideas of a proper funeral seem to coincide with those of Queen Victoria, whom she has admired through life and mourns sincerely.

Henrietta has not been heard to indulge in profane language since I had a long talk with her last week out in the garden, that ended in stubby tears and the gift of a very lovely locket which I impressed upon her was as chaste in design as I wished her speech to become.

The twins have been provided with several very lovely pieces of wearing apparel from my rapidly skill-acquiring needle.  That’s on the credit side of my balance.  But that is all—­and it doesn’t sound revolutionary, does it, Jane?

Petunia married Jasper according to his word of promise, and I have taught her to cook about five French dishes that he couldn’t concoct to save his life, and which help her to keep him in his place.  His pomposity grows daily but he eyes me with suspicion when he sees me in secret conclave with Petunia.

“We needs a man around this place,” I heard him mutter the other day as I left the kitchen.

I wonder!

The garden has been weeded, replanted, trained, clipped and garnished, and my arms are as husky and strong as a boy’s and my nose badly sunburned from my strenuosity with hoe and trimming scissors.

All of which I have done and done well.  But when I think of all those five girls that are waiting for me to solve the emotional formula by which they can work out and establish the fact that man equals woman, I get weak in the knees.

Jane’s letters are just prods.

* * * * *

Your highly cultivated artistic nature ought to be a very beautiful revelation to the spiritual character of the young Methodist divine you wrote me of in your last letter.  Encourage him in every way with affectionate interest in his work, especially in the Epworth League on his country circuit.  I am enclosing fifty dollars’ subscription to the work and I hope you will give as much You have not mentioned Mr. Hayes for several letters.  I fear you are prejudiced against him.  Seek to know and weigh his character before you judge him as unfit for your love.

* * * * *

The highly spiritual Mr. Haley glared at Polk for an hour out here on my porch, when he interrupted us in one of our Epworth League talks, in such an unspiritual manner that Polk said he felt as if he had been introduced to the Apostle Paul while he was still Saul of Tarsus.  I had to pet the Dominie decorously for a week before he regained his benign manner.  Of course, however, it was trying to even a highly spiritual nature like his to have Polk insist on pinning a rose in my hair right before his eyes.