nearer to each other than we had ever been before.

And how gloriously the rest of the day passed off. We had a
delightful little lunch, and Tom brought up a bottle of Roederer,
and Helen didn't remonstrate when he insisted on its being drank
from her finest glasses, and there were toasts drank to "Her" and
"Her Mother," and to the Benedict that was to be. And then Helen
proposed "the makers of the match--Budge and Toddie!" which was
honored with bumpers. The gentlemen toasted did not respond, but
they stared so curiously that I sprang from my chair and kissed
them soundly, upon which Tom and Helen exchanged significant
glances.

Then Helen walked down to Mrs. Clarkson's boarding-house, all for
the purpose of showing a lady there with a skirt to make over just
how she had seen a similar garment rearranged exquisitely. And
Alice strolled down to the gate with her to say good-by; and they
had so much to talk about that Helen walked Alice nearly to our
house, and then insisted on her coming the rest of the way so she
might be driven home. And then Mike was sent back with a note to
say to Mrs. Mayton that her daughter had been prevailed upon to
stay to evening dinner, but would be sent home under capable
escort. And after dinner was over and the children put to bed, Tom
groaned that he MUST attend a road-board meeting, and Helen begged
us to excuse her just a minute while she ran into the doctor's to
ask how poor Mrs. Brown had been doing, and she consumed three
hours and twenty-five minutes in asking, bless her sympathetic
soul!

The dreaded ending of my vacation did not cause me as many pangs