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, theafternoon I said good-by to the city which had been my home. I can neverforget 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 preciousmother's care and companionship, that nothing can ever come into my lifeto bring greater happiness, or greater desire to do and be good, and ourlittle society helped me.
And yet, dear Winnie, I would not have my mother back to suffer. Howmuch she must have suffered in her isolation from her people, I neverknew until I came among them. Never could orphan have found more lovelyrelatives. I inclose in this my letter to the club, to be read at yournext meeting. With my heart full of gratitude to your mother and all therest, 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 knowyou will wish, as I do, that I could be with you. I am here at mygrandmother's home, and a beautiful place it is, with its large roomsand 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 ahurry.
When Uncle Morris and I first reached New York, we went straight tohis home. His wife received me very kindly, and my cousins (one a younglady, 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 saidthey must have me, and I was glad to come, for I felt strange with somany new cousins, and was afraid I would find it hard to fall into theirways.
I have such a beautiful room, all my own. It has east windows which openover a little court, where the first thing I see when I throw backmy shutters in the morning, is a fountain sparkling in the sun, withrainbows 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 forVassar, but my grandmother said she had just found me and could not giveme up, and my grandfather--with tears in his eyes, which nearly broke myheart, for I knew what he was thinking of--said the same thing; so I amto have teachers right here at home, and have already commenced musicand French.
I am sure I shall be very happy; but, for all that, I imagine you allseated at your desks at school, or chatting with each other over yourlunch, and that makes me feel very lonely. But I mean to make the bestof my opportunities, and shall keep in mind our watchword, "Now," whichmeans much more to me than when we first chose it.
I hope we will all meet again sometime, and that you will always thinkof 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 aboutmy school work. I never stood so well in any other examination as in thelast 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 asone, 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 namewas read as having the highest per cent. in the whole city! And afterthe classes were formed, every teacher inquired for you, and all lookeddisappointed when they found that you had moved away.
Our little Winnifred was only five behind you, and not one of us stoodless 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 laughingmatter to put a different ending to every word for every case, genderand 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 Ithought of her trying to fight her way through such things as these. Shesaid she was "enjoying herself gorgeously!"
We mean to keep up with the record of last year if we can, especiallythe 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 havealmost always been friends, and that just as you and I began to knoweach other you should have to go so far away! But papa says he means totake me with him to New York during the holidays, and then I will seeyou again.
It seems strange to think that we really go to the high-school, andit makes me feel quite grown-up and as if I ought to be dignified; butWinnie is the same demure little puss and looks very small and childishamong 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 isso 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 yourletter. I read it out loud first, but that wasn't enough, and it passedfrom hand to hand, each one reading it for herself.
We had such a nice little meeting, and while we didn't talk quite somuch as we did a year ago about fighting giants, I think we all feltthat those we had been able to fight had made it easier for us to seeand do our duties as they came to us.
After we had read your letter and our business meeting was over, wewent down into Miriam's yard and had a regular frolic. It was a brightmoonlight night, and we had games and told stories and old riddles andtried to make up new ones--but didn't succeed very well--and by and byMiriam's brother came out with an enormous watermelon on a great, bigtray. It was a warm night--you know how warm it is sometimes here inSeptember--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 Ifeel very lonely without you, but Aunt Kitty says she is sure you willcome to visit us some time, and that we are only twenty-four hoursapart, 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 k
ind 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,]
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