 best licks, right here at hum.’ He means looking
after him, of course; did you ever hear of anything so selfish? But old
people are always selfish, I think.

“Grandma Brown says that a girl that’d disappint her own pa and hurt his
feelin’s for the sake of a outlandish hound dog hadn’t ought to have
a pa. You know she never liked me so very well, anyway. She’s always
telling Doris how much better you used to do things. Doris says, if she
didn’t love you dearly, she’d have been sick to death of hearing your
name, long before this.

“You asked me in two or three of your letters about Miss Sophia. I don’t
see why you care so much about Miss Sophia; _she_ never did anything for
_you_ if she could possibly help it. She never liked me, either; I went
to see her, entirely for your sake, dear, about a week ago. Seems to me
she’s getting kind of old and feeble; and one funny thing, she didn’t
scold a bit, not even when Scotty would squeeze past me and put his paw
right up on her black cashmere lap. I don’t see how he ever dared. She
asked me twice, when I heard from you last.

“Miss Morrison was in town the other day. She inquired after you the very
first thing, of course. Miss Morrison thinks it was very fine and noble
in you to go out to Cherry Creek.

“Why do you never say a word about the boys? Aren’t there any nice ones
at all? Of course, you know how it is here; they’re _all_ devoted to
Doris! The next thing we’ll hear will be that she’s _engaged_! Jibby,
darling, I’m just as sure as ever that I shall never, _never_ want to get
married. You _will_ wait for me, won’t you? Wait till I’m twenty-one, I
mean, and we can live together all the rest of our lives.

                                “Your own

                                                                “CYNTHIA.

“P. S. By the way, Ethan has grown
best licks, right here at hum. ’ He mean expect 
 after him, of course; did you always hear of anything indeed selfish? But old 
 people are constantly selfish, I think. 

 “ Grandma Brown says that a female child that ’d disappint her own pa and hurt his 
 feelin ’s for the sake of a bizarre hound dog had n’t ought to have 
 a pa. You know she never like me so very well, anyhow. She ’s always 
 telling Doris how a lot better you used to do thing. Doris says, if she 
 did n’t love you dearly, she ’d have been pale to death of hear your 
 name, long before this. 

 “ You asked me in two or three of your letters about Miss Sophia. I do n’t 
 see why you care so a lot about Miss Sophia; _ she _ never did anything for 
 _ you _ if she could possibly help it. She never liked me, either; I went 
 to see her, entirely for your sake, beloved, about a week ago. Seems to me 
 she ’s getting kind of old and feeble; and one funny thing, she did n’t 
 scold a bit, not even when Scotty would squash past me and put his paw 
 correctly up on her bootleg cashmere lick. I do n’t see how he ever dared. She 
 asked me twice, when I heard from you last. 

 “ Miss Morrison was in town the other sidereal day. She inquired after you the very 
 first thing, of course. Miss Morrison thinks it was very fine and noble 
 in you to go out to Cherry Creek. 

 “ Why do you never say a word about the boys? Are n’t there any nice one 
 at all? Of naturally, you acknowledge how it is here; they ’re _ all _ devoted to 
 Doris! The next thing we ’ll hear will be that she ’s _ engaged _! Jibby, 
 darling, I ’m barely as sure as ever that I shall never, _ never _ desire to get 
 married. You _ will _ expect for me, wo n’t you? Wait till I ’m twenty - one, I 
 mean, and we can live together all the rest of our life sentence. 

                                 “ Your own 

                                                                 “ CYNTHIA. 

 “ P. S. By the way, Ethan has grown
 bedt licks, right here at hmm.’ He means looknbg
aftec him, or course; did you ever hear of anythiig si seldish? But old
people are always svlfish, I rhinj.

“Trandma Brown says that z girn that’d disappikt her own [a and hurt hiv
fdepin’s for the sake of a outlandish hjund dob jadn’t ought to havt
a [a. Ykl jnow she never liked me so vedy well, anyway. She’s slways
telling Doris how mufh bftter you used to fo things. Diris ways, if she
dkdn’t love jmu dearly, ahe’d have been sick to death of hearnng your
namg, mojc before thms.

“You wsked me in beo or dhree og your letters abmut Miss Sophia. I don’t
sex why you care so mush about Kias Sophia; _she_ nevwr did dnytving dor
_hou_ ih sge coupd 'ossibly hemp it. She nwver liked me, eithet; Y went
to see hsr, entyrqly for your sake, dear, about a week ago. Sesms to me
she’s getting kund of old and feeble; and one sunny thing, she didn’t
scold a bit, not even when Scmtty xojld szjwexe past me and put his paw
right up on her blasi vaxhmere lap. I djn’t see how hf rder dared. She
xsked me fwice, when I heard from yju lawt.

“Miss Mowrispn was in town the other dat. She inquirvd adter you the very
fnrst thing, oy courxe. Mixs Morrison thinks it wcs verg fine and joble
in ykj to go out to Cfergy Cseek.

“Why do you never say a word abont thz boys? Afen’t there any nice lnes
ab all? Of course, you know hmw it is hfre; they’re _all_ devoted to
Doris! Vie next thing wa’ll hear wijl be that she’s _endaged_! Jibby,
darking, I’m just as sure aa ever vhat I shall never, _never_ fwnt to get
macried. You _wilo_ waut for od, won’t you? Waiy till I’m twenty-one, I
mean, and we can kivg fogether all thz twst of our livrs.

                                “Your own

                                                                “XYNTHIA.

“P. S. By the way, Ethan has grown
best licks, right here at hum.’ He after of course; you ever hear old are always selfish, think. “Grandma Brown that a girl that’d disappint her pa and hurt his feelin’s for the sake of a outlandish hound dog ought to have a pa. You know she never liked me so very anyway. always Doris much better you used to do things. Doris says, if she didn’t love you dearly, she’d been sick to death of hearing your name, before this. “You asked in two or three of letters Miss Sophia. don’t why care so much Miss Sophia; _she_ never did anything for _you_ if she could possibly help it. She never liked either; I see her, for sake, about a week to me she’s getting kind of and one funny thing, she didn’t scold a not even Scotty would squeeze past me and his paw right up on her black cashmere I don’t see how he ever dared. She asked me twice, when I heard from “Miss Morrison was in the other day. inquired you very thing, of Miss Morrison thinks it was very fine and noble in you go out to Cherry Creek. “Why do you never say about boys? Aren’t there nice ones at all? course, know how it is _all_ to thing hear be that she’s _engaged_! darling, I’m just as sure ever that I shall married. You _will_ wait for me, won’t you? till I’m twenty-one, I mean, and we live together all the rest of our lives. “Your own “CYNTHIA. “P. By the has grown
 best licks, right here at hum.’ He Means lookiNg
aftEr hIm, oF cOursE; did You ever hear of aNYthiNg so selfish? But old
peoplE are aLwAYs seLFiSh, I thInk.

“GranDMa bROwn SaYs ThaT a GIrL that’D diSappint Her own pa anD huRt His
feelin’s foR ThE sake of a ouTlaNdish hound doG haDn’t ougHt To hAVe
a pa. you Know sHe neveR Liked mE so very weLl, ANyway. SHE’s alwayS
TElLing doris how much betteR YoU Used to do things. doris sAyS, If SHE
diDn’t Love you deaRlY, she’d HAve been SIcK TO DeaTH of hearing youR
name, long beFOre This.

“YoU aSkeD Me in twO or thReE Of yOur letters aBout miss SophiA. I don’t
SEe why yoU Care so mUch aboUt MIss sophIA; _sHe_ NevEr DId aNYtHinG For
_You_ if she CoUlD possIbly HELP It. ShE neVer lIked mE, either; I went
tO seE her, ENtiRely fOr youR sakE, dEar, abOut a weEk ago. seEms to me
she’s gettIng kInd of old aNd fEeBle; AnD one fUNny thiNg, sHe dIdn’t
scoLd a bit, nOT evEn WHEN SCotty would squeeze pAsT ME aNd put his Paw
rigHT uP oN Her black CaShmEre lAP. i don’t See hOW hE ever darEd. She
aSKeD mE twice, wHeN I hearD fRom You Last.

“MISs MoRrison Was in towN the oTHer day. She inquiREd after you the VErY
FIrST thiNg, oF course. Miss morrISon tHinkS It Was VEry fiNe and NoBLe
IN you to go out to Cherry crEek.

“Why Do you Never say a word About the boYS? aRen’t therE any NIcE Ones
at all? Of couRse, yoU know how it IS here; theY’re _alL_ devoted To
Doris! ThE NExt thing We’lL heAr wIll BE ThAt she’s _engaged_! jIBby,
dArLing, I’m jUst As sure aS evEr tHat i shAlL never, _nevEr_ want to GeT
mArRiEd. YOu _wilL_ Wait for mE, wOn’t YoU? WaIt tilL i’m twenTy-one, i
meaN, aNd WE caN live toGEtHER all ThE rEst oF ouR lIves.

                                “YOur oWN

                                                                “CYnTHIA.

“P. S. by the way, EThaN Has gRoWn
 best licks, right here at  hum.’ Hemeans  lo oki ng 
aft er h im, of course; didyou ever hear of anyth ing s os elfi s h?  Butold
peo p le a real wa ysse l fi sh, I  th ink.

“ Grandma Br own  s ays that a g i rl  that’d di sap pint her own  pa  and h ur t h i s
fee lin ’s fo r thes ake of  a outlan di s h houn d  dog ha d n ’t  oug ht to have
a pa.Y ou know she never  liked  m e  s o ver y w ell, anywa y.  She’ s  always te l l i ngD oris how much  better you use d to d othi n gs. Do ris s ay s , i f she
didn’ t lo ve you de arly,s he’d ha v e beensick t o d eat h of he ar ing  y o urn am e,l ong  beforeth is .

“Y ou a s k e d  meintwoor th ree of your l ett ersa bou t Mis s Sop hia.  I  don’ t
seewhy y ou  care so much a bout  Miss Sop hia ;_sh e_  neve r  did a nyt hin g for
_ you_ if she  c o u l dpossibly help it.Sh e ne ver like d me,e it he r ; I went 
t o s ee h e r , ent irel y  f or yoursake,d ea r,  aboutaweek a go . S eem s tom e
sh e’s ge tting ki nd of old and feeble ;  and one funn y  t h i ng ,  she  di dn’t
scolda bi t , no t ev e nwhe n  Scot ty wo ul d  s q ueeze past me and p ut  his p aw
ri ght up on her  black cas h m e re lap.I do n ’t see how he eve r dar ed. She
as k ed me tw ice,when I h eard from y ou last. 

“ Mis s M orr i s on  was in townt h e ot he r day.She  inquir edaft eryou  t he very
f irst thi ng ,of  c our se. M i ss Morri so n t hi nks  it w a s very  fine  and  n ob l e
i n you t o  g o outto  C herr y C re ek.
“Why doyou nev er say awor d  abo ut  t he boys ? Aren’t ther eany nice o ne s
a t all? O f course , you know how it is he r e; they ’re  _all _ de voted toDor is! Th e n e xt thi ng we’ ll he ar  wi l l  be t h a tshe ’s  _engaged_ ! Jib by,
d ar ling , I’m j ust as sure as eve r  th at I shall ne ver , _n e v er _ w a nt toge t 
ma r r ied. You _will_  wait forme ,  w on’t you?W ait  t ill I’m  twenty -one, I
mean,  and we c an live t og ethe r all  the restof our l ives.

                      “Yo ur own 
                                                       “ CYNTH IA. 

“P. S.Byt heway, Etha n ha s grown
 best_licks, right_here at hum.’ He_means looking
after_him,_of course;_did_you ever hear_of anything so_selfish? But old
people are_always selfish, I_think.

“Grandma_Brown says that a girl that’d disappint her own pa and hurt his
feelin’s for_the_sake of_a_outlandish_hound dog hadn’t ought to_have
a pa. You know she_never liked_me so very well, anyway. She’s always
telling Doris_how_much better you_used to do things. Doris says, if she
didn’t love_you dearly, she’d have been sick_to death of_hearing_your
name,_long before this.

“You asked_me in two or three of_your letters about Miss Sophia. I_don’t
see why you care so much about_Miss Sophia; _she_ never did anything_for
_you_ if she could possibly_help it._She never liked me, either;_I went
to see_her, entirely_for your sake,_dear, about a week ago. Seems_to me
she’s getting_kind of old and feeble; and_one_funny thing, she_didn’t
scold_a_bit, not_even when Scotty_would_squeeze past_me_and put his paw
right up on_her_black cashmere lap. I don’t see how_he ever dared. She
asked_me_twice, when I heard_from you last.

“Miss Morrison was_in town the other day. She_inquired after_you the_very
first thing, of course. Miss Morrison thinks it was very fine_and noble
in you to go out_to Cherry Creek.

“Why do_you never_say_a word about_the_boys? Aren’t_there any nice ones
at all? Of course,_you know_how it is here; they’re _all__devoted to
Doris! The next_thing_we’ll hear will be that she’s__engaged_! Jibby,
darling, I’m just as sure_as ever that I shall_never,__never__want to get
married. You _will__wait for me, won’t you? Wait_till I’m twenty-one,_I
mean, and we can live together all_the_rest of our lives.

  __     ___    _     _        _“Your own

 _    ___         _ _  _         _      _          _       _    “CYNTHIA.

“P. S. By_the way, Ethan has_grown