III

July 16.

My school-days are over! I have come off with flying colors, and
mother is pleased at my success. I said to her today that I should
now have time to draw and practice to my heart's content.

"You will not find your heart content with either," she said.

"Why, mother!" I cried, "I thought you liked to see me happy!"

"And so I do," she said, quietly. "But there is something better to
get out of life than you have yet found."

"I am sure I hope so," I returned. "On the whole, I haven't got much
so far."

Amelia is now on such terms with Jenny Underhill that I can hardly
see one without seeing the other After the way in which I have loved
her, this seems rather hard. Sometimes I am angry about it, and
sometimes grieved. However, I find Jenny quite nice. She buys all the
new books and lends them to me. I wish I liked more solid reading;
but I don't. And I wish I were not so fond of novels; but I am. If it
were not for mother I should read nothing else. And I am sure I often
feel quite stirred up by a really good novel, and admire and want to
imitate every high-minded, noble character it describes.

Jenny has a miniature of her brother "Charley" in a locket, which she