Real Folks

-, just over the river

hristened it, with the shrewdness and mischief of fourt

ot a freight station established on that side for the East Z-- mills. "After Z--, what should it be but 'And?'" Ba

n turned out of blanc-mange moulds, and there was "East Square." Then people began by-and-by to build for themselves, and a little variety and a good deal of ambition came in. They had got to French roofs now; this was just before the day of the multitudinous little paper collar-boxes with beveled covers, that are set dow

arded in And f

sy enjoyed that so much. Besides, she had friends in Z--, which made it pleasant; and she was tired, for her part, of crowds and fa

ve at the mountains or the sea-shore, and at half the price; but this she did not

ife has, somehow or other, all that is going. Grant Ledwith got a good salary, an inflated currency salary; and he spent it all. His daughters were growing up, and they were stylish and pretty; Mrs. Megilp took a great interest in Agatha and Florence Ledwith, and was always urging their mot

like the Ledwiths, and who always made her welcome; it was a good thing for Glossy to be so fond of Agatha and Florence, and to have them so fond of he

there was excellent society in Z--, everybody knew. Boston was hard work, nowadays; the distances were getting to be so great." Up to the We

hail from a well-recognized social independency; to belong to Z-- was a standing, always. It wasn't like going to Forest Dell, or Lakeg

with had only got into "An

t to be bound by any very stringent and exclusive social limits; it was a bother to keep up to all the demands of such a small, old-established set. Mrs. Hendee would not notice, far less be impressed by the advent of her new-style Brussels carpet with a border, or her full, fresh, Notti

her china, and her curtains, and her ruffled pillow-shams. Also, savingly, to her children's "suits," and party dresses, and pic-nic hats, and double button gloves. Savingly; for there is a leaven of grace in mother-care, even though it be expended upon these. Her friend, Mrs.

Ledwith; Glossy was gone to town, and then

r dinner; and Mrs. Megilp's constitution required something more generous. She was apt to happen in at this season, when Laura had potted pigeons. A little bird told

nner table, too; and claret and water, well-s

fall things;" there was a smell of sweet marjoram and thyme and cloves, and general richness coming up from the kitchen; there was a bl

Desire and Helena's two green silks

l those gores again; they are quite done with. Everybody puts in whole breadths now. There's just

though; they have

here must be sashes, or postillions, or something; they don't make anything withou

I'm sure they used to look sweetly. But there! a fashion doesn't last

the fate of the green silks. "Everything is gathered; you see that is what

little fractiously, putting the scissors in with unwilling fingers. She knew the

anything; you turn off work so easily; a

s all fall work, and spring work, and summer work and winter work. One drive rushes pell-mell rig

gilp, self-renouncingly. "I can never rest until Glossy is provid

a woman of strict pecuniary principle; the other fifteen hundred must pay all the rest; she submitted cheerfully to the Divine allotment, and punctually made the two ends meet. She will

een, spoke suddenly from a cor

who 'they'

ths of silk slide down upon the floor from her lap, as she glanced anxiously

eys' that wear, and don't wear, things; the theys you

ttishly. "To make me spill a whole lapful of w

made over this, because they put in a breadth more behind, and they only gore side seams. And they don't wear black capes or cloth sacks any more with all kinds

help, instead of asking silly questions. You

a pair of scissors. "But you know I'm no good at putting together again. And about making the world ov

really did want. She was born hungry and asking, with those sharp little eyes, and her mouth always open while she was a baby. 'I

ed ways of getting over or around the difficulty, when Aunt Desire had stipula

,-'Desirée.' Only one more 'e,' and an accent. Th

name twisted. It is to be real

ad shrugged h

by, and marry by, and be buried by. But betwe

Megilp took a fancy to call her by way of endearment, of course; and Daisy she was growing t

lady is satisfied; and away up there in Hanover, what can it signify

ose together in the high, delicate head,

, mamma, away

named for. She lives in Hanover. You a

e call m

arly never occurred to Mrs. Ledwith before. Miss Desire Led

't like pet names. She will call you

child frowning half absently over her doll, whose arm she was str

e was very particular about having you called for her, and you are, you know. I always write 'Desire Ledwith' in all your books, and-wel

nover, is thinking all the time that there is a little Desire Ledwith growing up down here. I don't mean to have h

Ledwith had a keen, charged little face; and when something quick and strong

y all wondering at that stiff little "Desire" of hers that she would go by. When she was twelve years old, the old lady up in Hanover had died, and left her a gold watch

nce, one day after that. Desire lifted her eyes slo

I think," said Mrs. Megilp. "There

rs. Megilp," said Desire, bri

aristocratic in an old, plain, family name. I don't know that it isn't good taste

she could make in behalf of her particular friends. She carried about with he

not see it for yourself-this is a

y after all. You haven't anything really new or particular to yourself, when you've done. And it takes up so much time. Last year, this w

gher refinement in it, every day. Why, it's duty, child!" she continued, exaltedly. "Think what the world would be if nobody cared. We ought to make life beautiful. It's me

, and cross, and tried-on-to, and have no chance to do anything else, before you can put it all on and go out and be

y ones who have the most of it are those who sacrifice the least time to it. They just go and order what they want, and

can't turn right round in the things we know every stitch of and have

t to be done. I always thought it was rather a pity that was said, just so," Mrs. Megilp proceeded, with a mil

ristina, the parlor girl, coming in. "And Hannah says it won't

h in it. "Though what we shall have to-morrow I'm sure I don't know," she added, rousing

" continued Christina, laying them down on a

ight alongside of milk-bills and cabbages! And yet one may

ry broad, thick envelo

receive many letters. She had very little time for correspondence. I

know what could be in that very business-like looking despatch, and Laura would be sure to tell her. It must be something pretty positive, one way or

ht characters, whose purport could be taken in at sight, like print, she turned very red with a sudden excit

last, slowly; and her breath came like a gasp

as if from them Mrs. Megilp

lp though

she asked, p

e letter. He wants me to come; me, and all of us,-t

e promptness and benignity of a Chri

house, and two thous

egilp, "it is emphatic

the letter tight in her hands with a clutch of quick excitement, a

and giving her a little shake and a slap. "If you

ain in dear old Boston! But-we can't be children and sit o

e minutes. After that she felt better, and asked Mrs. Me

any more of those b

, talking fast; and one said "house," and another "carpets," and another "music and German;" and Desire, trailing a breadth of green silk in her hand that she had never let go since the letter was read, cried out, "oratorios!" And nobody quite knew what they we

enlightened as to the family excitement, and excessively curious,

s a sort of a corner. Westmoreland Street or Helvellyn Park

n grammar. "Don't get into 'And' in Boston, Laura!-With such an addition to your income, and wh

f thinking to do about

nking, already; about that rose-pink paper fo

and a Brussels carpet ever since her friend Zarah Thoole

on, was busy among bales and samples in Devonshire Street. It got to be an old story by the time the seven o'clock train was in, an

lly hard to make him understand, and to bring him u