On another occasion she writes to say that Martha, the head housemaid, “such an excellent servant,” (all heavily under lined), who has been with them seventeen years, is going to marry a nice, clean widower with six children.  She must give her a nice present; “nice” is underlined several times.  She has heard that in the Edgeware Road there are to be had, complete in case, for three-and-sixpence, excellent clocks.  She doesn’t know the name of the shop, but she believes it begins with “P,” and if I could look in as I pass, she would be most grateful.  As will be guessed, Anastasia is a wealthy woman with no sense of humor.  She knows she has none, and she says she doesn’t know what rich people want it for.  Of course for poor people it is an excellent thing, because it enables them to look at the bright side of things; but as Anastasia’s things, life in particular, are bright on all sides, she doesn’t need that particular sense.

Then there is another country cousin she is so sweet and diffident about asking me to do anything, that I feel I ought willingly to look into every shop window in the Edgeware Road beginning with “P” or any other letter, however wet or hot the day!  And I am not sure that I wouldn’t!  Her writing is as meek as Anastasia’s is aggressive, and she never descends to the transparency of an underlined “if.”  She says, would I mind sending her a book, called so-and-so, by such and such an author, price so much?  It is all plain sailing with Cousin Penelope.  She knows just what she wants and where to get it; so much so that I sometimes wonder why she doesn’t send straight to the shop.  But country cousins never do that; for wherein would lie the use of London cousins, if they didn’t shop for their country cousins?  How would they occupy their time?  She would like me please to get it at Bumpus’s, because they are so very civil and they knew her dear father.  I might mention his name if I thought fit!  Now, I know quite well that it is impossible that any one at Bumpus’s, be he ever so venerable, can ever have known Cousin Penelope’s father.  The name, being Smith, may no doubt be familiar.  Of course Cousin Penelope would repay any expense I incurred.  In fact she must insist on so doing.

“Insist” seems too strong a word to apply to any power that Cousin Penelope could enforce.  It would be something so gentle; persistent, perhaps, but insistent?  Never!  “I beg, I implore, I entreat,” would all be suitable, but “I insist " does not suggest Cousin Penelope.

Dear Cousin Penelope, we are told, had a love-story in her youth, the sadness of which ruined her life.  It must have been a very beautiful thing, that sorrow., to have made her what she is.  One feels that it must be a very wonderful love that is laid away in the wrappings of submission and tied with the ribbons of resignation.  There is assuredly no bitterness about it, and I sometimes wonder if one’s own sorrow which tears and tugs at one’s heart will some day leave such a record of holiness and patience on one’s face!  I am afraid not.  I look in the glass, but I see nothing in the reflection which in the least resembles Cousin Penelope, nor can I believe that time will do it, nor am I brave enough to wish it.  I cannot yet pray for a peace like hers.  People say time can do everything, but