"Good afternoon, ladies. Daniel Anderson is my name. My wife wasn't
lucky enough to find you at home when she returned your call, so I
thought I'd be neighborly."

"It's very good of you to come to see us," said Miss Rebecca,
relenting at once. She liked characters--being something of one
herself--and her neighbor's heartiness was taking. "This is my sister,
Miss Caroline Ripley," she added to cement the introduction, "and I am
Rebecca. Sit down, Mr. Anderson; and may I give you a cup of tea?"

Four people were apt to be cosily crowded in the summer-house. Being
only a third person, the furniture king was able to settle himself in
his seat and look around him without fear that his legs would molest
any one. He gripped the arms of his chair and inhaled the fragrance of
the garden.

"This is a lovely place, ladies," he asserted.

"Those hollyhocks and morning-glories and mignonettes take me back to
old times. Up to my place it's all roses and orchids. But my wife told
me last week that she heard old-fashioned flowers are coming in again.
Seems she was right."

"Oh, but we've had old-fashioned flowers for years! Our garden has
been always just like this--only becoming a little prettier all the
time, we venture to hope," said Miss Carry.

"I want to know!" said Mr. Anderson; and almost immediately he
remembered that both his son and daughter had cautioned him against
the use of this phrase at The Beaches. He received the dainty but