CHAPTER XXI.

AN EXCHANGE OF LETTERS.

_Ernestine to Winnifred._

New York, Sept. 12.

Dearest Winnifred:

It seems a long time since I left you standing in the station, the afternoon I said good-by to the city which had been my home. I can never forget you nor the dear schoolmates who made my life there so pleasant, nor the friends who took me to their hearts in my great sorrow.

I was happy and contented in my little home, so happy with my precious mother's care and companionship, that nothing can ever come into my life to bring greater happiness, or greater desire to do and be good, and our little society helped me.

And yet, dear Winnie, I would not have my mother back to suffer. How much she must have suffered in her isolation from her people, I never knew until I came among them. Never could orphan have found more lovely relatives. I inclose in this my letter to the club, to be read at your next meeting. With my heart full of gratitude to your mother and all the rest, I am,

Your loving friend,

Ernestine.

* * * * *

_Ernestine to the Warrior Maidens._

Dear Girls:

When you read this you will all be together at Miriam's and I know you will wish, as I do, that I could be with you. I am here at my grandmother's home, and a beautiful place it is, with its large rooms and fine, old-fashioned furniture. It is in a very quiet neighborhood, which will seem strange to you when I say that it is but a few minutes' walk from Broadway, with its crowds of people, who always seem in a hurry.

When Uncle Morris and I first reached New York, we went straight to his home. His wife received me very kindly, and my cousins (one a young lady, another a girl about my own age, and two boys younger,) were kind, too, and they all wanted me to stay with them. But my grandparents said they must have me, and I was glad to come, for I felt strange with so many new cousins, and was afraid I would find it hard to fall into their ways.

I have such a beautiful room, all my own. It has east windows which open over a little court, where the first thing I see when I throw back my shutters in the morning, is a fountain sparkling in the sun, with rainbows in its spray, and birds flying about and bathing in the pool.

At first there was some talk of sending me to a school to prepare for Vassar, but my grandmother said she had just found me and could not give me up, and my grandfather--with tears in his eyes, which nearly broke my heart, for I knew what he was thinking of--said the same thing; so I am to have teachers right here at home, and have already commenced music and French.

I am sure I shall be very happy; but, for all that, I imagine you all seated at your desks at school, or chatting with each other over your lunch, and that makes me feel very lonely. But I mean to make the best of my opportunities, and shall keep in mind our watchword, "Now," which means much more to me than when we first chose it.

I hope we will all meet again sometime, and that you will always think of me with love, as

Your loving

Ernestine.

* * * * *

_Gretta to Ernestine._

Dear Friend:

We all miss you very much, and it seems hard to wait for the "sometime" to come when we shall see you again.

You remember the idea of "fighting giants" seemed silly to me at first, but I can see now that it did me a great deal of good, especially about my school work. I never stood so well in any other examination as in the last one for the high-school; and I never blamed myself, but always my "music." Now I see, though, that two things may be well done as well as one, if only we go about it in the right way.

Good-by,

Gretta.

* * * * *

_Miriam to Ernestine._

Dearest Ernestine:

How we did miss you the first day of school, particularly when your name was read as having the highest per cent. in the whole city! And after the classes were formed, every teacher inquired for you, and all looked disappointed when they found that you had moved away.

Our little Winnifred was only five behind you, and not one of us stood less than ninety. We went back to see Miss Brownlow one day last week, and she said she was proud of us. She asked for you and sent her love.

We are struggling with x, y, z, and in Latin have reached "uterque, utraque, utrumque," which sounds about as sensible as onery, twoery, etc. I feel sorry for those people who must have found it no laughing matter to put a different ending to every word for every case, gender and number, and I must say that for myself I like plain English.

I saw Josie Thompson the other day, and I laughed to myself when I thought of her trying to fight her way through such things as these. She said she was "enjoying herself gorgeously!"

We mean to keep up with the record of last year if we can, especially the record of good times.

With lots of love,

Miriam.

* * * * *

_Fannie to Ernestine._

My Dear, Dear Ernestine:

How strange it seems that your uncle and my father are friends, and have almost always been friends, and that just as you and I began to know each other you should have to go so far away! But papa says he means to take me with him to New York during the holidays, and then I will see you again.

It seems strange to think that we really go to the high-school, and it makes me feel quite grown-up and as if I ought to be dignified; but Winnie is the same demure little puss and looks very small and childish among so many big girls, some of whom actually wear long dresses.

Miriam is as lively as ever, and keeps us all laughing at lunch time. You know it isn't what she says so much as the way she says it that is so very funny.

But it is time for me to get my algebra lesson, so I will close now.

Au revoir,

Fannie.

* * * * *

_Winnie to Ernestine._

Dear Ernestine:

We had the first meeting for this year at Miriam's last Friday evening, and the first thing we did was to go up to Miriam's room and read your letter. I read it out loud first, but that wasn't enough, and it passed from hand to hand, each one reading it for herself.

We had such a nice little meeting, and while we didn't talk quite so much as we did a year ago about fighting giants, I think we all felt that those we had been able to fight had made it easier for us to see and do our duties as they came to us.

After we had read your letter and our business meeting was over, we went down into Miriam's yard and had a regular frolic. It was a bright moonlight night, and we had games and told stories and old riddles and tried to make up new ones--but didn't succeed very well--and by and by Miriam's brother came out with an enormous watermelon on a great, big tray. It was a warm night--you know how warm it is sometimes here in September--and I don't know which we enjoyed most, eating the cool, refreshing fruit or snapping the seeds at each other.

We all miss you very much. Ralph still asks when you are coming back, and no one's paper dolls please him so much as yours did. Sometimes I feel very lonely without you, but Aunt Kitty says she is sure you will come to visit us some time, and that we are only twenty-four hours apart, which does not seem so very far, does it? So I shall look forward

Till we meet,

Winnie.

THE END.

[Transcriber's Note

The following modifications have been made:

page original text modified text

Page 6 She began with her greatest bugbear. United States History; She began with her greatest bugbear, United States History;

Page 35 their uplifted swords, their resolute mein, their uplifted swords, their resolute mien,

Page 44 "you may talk, too, if you like" "you may talk, too, if you like."

Page 46 She also helped put these in. and with a few kind words She also helped put these in, and with a few kind words

Page 77 "A glorious night for a game of hide-and seek," "A glorious night for a game of hide-and-seek,"

Page 85 Little Ralph took Ernestine at once into his afleetions, Little Ralph took Ernestine at once into his affections, ]