after deep thought, Uncle said, “The die is cast,” and sat down and wrote a letter offering to take over the presidency of the United States Steel Corporation.  We spent two or three anxious days waiting for the answer.  Uncle was very firm and kept repeating, “I have set my hand to it, and I will do it,” but I was certain that he was sorry about it and it was a great relief when the answer came at last—­it took days and days, evidently, for them to decide about it—­in which the corporation said that they would “worry along” as they were.  Uncle explained to me what “worrying along” meant and he said that he admired their spirit.  But that ended all talk of his going into business and I am sure that we were both glad.

After that Uncle William decided that it was necessary for me to marry in a way to restore our fortunes and he decided to offer me to a State Governor.  He asked me if I had any choice of States, and I said no.  Of course I should not have wished to marry a state governor, but I knew my duty towards Uncle William and I said nothing.  So Uncle got a map of the United States and he decided to marry me to the Governor of Texas.  He told me that I could have two weeks to arrange my supply of household linen and my trousseau to take to Texas, and he wrote at once to the Governor.  He showed me what he wrote and it was a very formal letter.  I think that Uncle’s mind gets more and more confused as to where he is and what he is and he wrote in quite the old strain and I noticed that he signed himself, “Your brother, William.”  Perhaps it was on that account that we had no answer to the letter.  Uncle seemed to forget all about it very soon and I was glad that it was so, and that I had escaped going to the court of Texas.

All this time Mr. Peters has been very kind.  He comes to the house with his ice every day and sometimes when Uncle Henry is here he comes in with him and smokes in the evenings.  One day he brought a beautiful bunch of chrysanthemums for Uncle William, and another day a lovely nosegay of violets for Uncle Henry.  And one Sunday he took us out for a beautiful drive with one of his ice-horses in a carriage called a buggy, with three seats.  Uncle William sat with Mr. Peters in the front seat, and Uncle Henry and Cousin Ferdinand (it was the last time he came to see us) sat behind them and there was a little seat at the back in which I sat.  It was a lovely drive and Uncle William pointed out to Mr. Peters all the things of interest, and Cousin Ferdinand smoked big cigars and told Uncle Henry all about the clothing trade, and I listened to them all and enjoyed it very much indeed.  But I was afraid afterwards that it was a very bold and unconventional thing to do, and perhaps Mr. Peters felt that he had asked too much because he did not invite me to drive again.

But he is always very kind and thoughtful.