"Oh, pray, don't speak of it, Miss Nancy."

"But indeed, my dear, I must say I never saw anybody like you! If
anybody's too old to sew, and too poor to put it out, it is 'Miss
Marian' who will do it for kindness; and if anybody is sick, it is 'Miss
Marian' who is sent for to nurse them; and if any poor negro, or
ignorant white person, has friends off at a distance they want to hear
from, it is 'Miss Marian' who writes all their letters!"

When they arose from breakfast, and the room was tidied up, and Edith,
and Marian, and their guest, were seated at their work, with all the
cottage windows open to admit the fresh and fragrant air, and the rural
landscape on one side, and the sea view on the other, and while little
Miriam sat at their feet dressing a nun doll, and old Jenny betook
herself to the garden to gather vegetables for the day, Miss Nancy
opened her budget, and gave them all the news of the month. But in that
which concerned Thurston Willcoxen alone was Edith interested, and of
him she learned the following facts: Of the five years which Mr.
Willcoxen had been absent in the eastern hemisphere, three had been
spent at the German University, where he graduated with the highest
honors; eighteen months had been passed in travel through Europe, Asia,
and Africa; and the last year had been spent in the best circles in the
city of Paris. He had been back to his native place about three weeks.
Since the death of Fanny Laurie's old guardian, the judge of the
Orphans' Court had appointed him sole trustee of her property, and
guardian of her person. As soon as he had received this power, he had
gone to the asylum, where the poor creature was confined, and hearing
her pronounced incurable, though harmless, he had set her at liberty,
brought her home to his own house, and had hired a skillful, attentive