here at home, and that all of us were afraid as death of even her thin,
old shadow. Oh, but won't you catch it, though! Sis, you had better
skip, and pretty quick, too! I think she's coming up-stairs now!"

It is awful, but I suppose I must have been telling just such a tale,
but to whom I can not, for the life of me, think. See now, all this
comes of telling the _family secrets_. That Mrs. Par-dell is a
dangerous woman! I refused flatly to have her make bird-claws out of
my finger-nails. This is her revenge! I am powerless! But it was not a
slander, it was all the truth; just as true as gospel. That's the reason
she is in such a rage. But she is coming; this house won't hold us both
just now, so I am off _via_ back stairs--to dine with my dear
Sophia Gilder, if I don't find that fraud, Mrs. Babbington Brooks, there
ahead of me. She and Mrs. John Robert G. are inseparable. The old dragon
draws near--I am gone, leaving behind a smile and a kiss for my ancient
female relative. Ah, Aunt Patsey, not _good form_, you know, to get
angry with people--even with your niece,

[Illustration:
Miss Alice Wing,
(of the Inner Sisterhood.)]




* * * * *


IV