books of mine and some little things which I have had a long time, and of which I have grown very fond.  It makes me so sorry to think of their being neglected and lost.  I cannot believe I shall forget these earthly treasures when I am in heaven, and I wonder if I shall not miss them.  Isn’t it strange to think of not reading one’s Bible any more?  I suppose this is a very low view of heaven, don’t you?” And we both smiled.

“I think the next dwellers in this house ought to find a decided atmosphere of contentment,” said I.  “Have you ever thought that it took us some time to make it your house instead of Miss Brandon’s?  It used to seem to me that it was still under her management, that she was its mistress; but now it belongs to you, and if I were ever to come back without you I should find you here.”

* * * * *

It is bewildering to know that this is the last chapter, and that it must not be long.  I remember so many of our pleasures of which I have hardly said a word.  There were our guests, of whom I have told you nothing, and of whom there was so much to say.  Of course we asked my Aunt Mary to visit us, and Miss Margaret Tennant, and many of our girlfriends.  All the people we know who have yachts made the port of Deephaven if they were cruising in the neighboring waters.  Once a most cheerful party of Kate’s cousins and some other young people whom we knew very well came to visit us in this way, and the yacht was kept in the harbor a week or more, while we were all as gay as bobolinks and went frisking about the country, and kept late hours in the sober old Brandon house.  My Aunt Mary, who was with us, and Kate’s aunt, Mrs. Thorniford, who knew the Carews, and was commander of the yacht-party, tried to keep us in order, and to make us ornaments to Deephaven society instead of reproaches and stumbling-blocks.  Kate’s younger brothers were with us, waiting until it was time for them to go back to college, and I think there never had been such picnics in Deephaven before, and I fear there never will be again.

We are fond of reading, and we meant to do a great deal of it, as every one does who goes away for the summer; but I must confess that our grand plans were not well carried out.  Our German dictionaries were on the table in the west parlor until the sight of them mortified us, and finally, to avoid their silent reproach, I put them in the closet, with the excuse that it would be as easy to get them there, and they would be out of the way.  We used to have the magazines sent us from town; you would have smiled at the box of books which we carried to Deephaven, and indeed we sent two or three times for others; but I do not remember that we ever carried out that course of study which we had planned with so much interest.  We were out of doors so much that there was often little time for anything else.