“Kitt Mar was up here Thursday to see the girls.  She’s had the measles so she isn’t scared.  She’s a great girl to laugh.  I like a girl that laughs, don’t you?

“We had a call from Peg Bowen yesterday.  You should of seen the Story Girl hustling Pat out of the way, for all she says she don’t believe he was bewitched.  Peg had your rheumatism ring on and the Story Girl’s blue beads and Sara Ray’s lace soed across the front of her dress.  She wanted some tobacco and some pickles.  Ma gave her some pickles but said we didn’t have no tobacco and Peg went off mad but I guess she wouldn’t bewitch anything on account of the pickles.

“I ain’t any hand to write letters so I guess I’ll stop.  Hope you’ll be out soon.  DAN.”

THE STORY GIRL’S LETTER

“DEAR PETER:—­Oh, how glad I am that you are getting better!  Those days when we thought you wouldn’t were the hardest of my whole life.  It seemed too dreadful to be true that perhaps you would die.  And then when we heard you were going to get better that seemed too good to be true.  Oh, Peter, hurry up and get well, for we are having such good times and we miss you so much.  I have coaxed Uncle Alec not to burn his potato stalks till you are well, because I remember how you always liked to see the potato stalks burn.  Uncle Alec consented, though Aunt Janet said it was high time they were burned.  Uncle Roger burned his last night and it was such fun.

“Pat is splendid.  He has never had a sick spell since that bad one.  I would send him over to be company for you, but Aunt Janet says no, because he might carry the measles back.  I don’t see how he could, but we must obey Aunt Janet.  She is very good to us all, but I know she does not approve of me.  She says I’m my father’s own child.  I know that doesn’t mean anything complimentary because she looked so queer when she saw that I had heard her, but I don’t care.  I’m glad I’m like father.  I had a splendid letter from him this week, with the darlingest pictures in it.  He is painting a new picture which is going to make him famous.  I wonder what Aunt Janet will say then.

“Do you know, Peter, yesterday I thought I saw the Family Ghost at last.  I was coming through the gap in the hedge, and I saw somebody in blue standing under Uncle Alec’s tree.  How my heart beat!  My hair should have stood up on end with terror but it didn’t.  I felt to see, and it was lying down quite flat.  But it was only a visitor after all.  I don’t know whether I was glad or disappointed.  I don’t think it would be a pleasant experience to see the ghost.  But after I had seen it think what a heroine I would be!