"Of course," said Miss Pinshon, "I shall have a careful regard
to her health. Nothing can be done without that. I shall take
her out regularly to walk with me, and see that she does not
expose herself in any way. Study is no hindrance to health;
learning has no malevolent effect upon the body. I think
people often get sick for want of something to think of."

How sure I felt, as I went up to bed that night, that no such
easy cause of sickness would be mine for long years to come!

CHAPTER II.

MY HOME.


The next day we were to go to Magnolia. It was a better day
than I expected. Preston kept me with him, away from aunt Gary
and my governess; who seemed to have a very comfortable time
together. Magnolia lay some miles inland, up a small stream or
inlet called the Sands river; the banks of which were studded
with gentlemen's houses. The houses were at large distances
from one another, miles of plantation often lying between. We
went by a small steamer which plied up and down the river; it
paddled along slowly, made a good many landings, and kept us
on board thus a great part of the day.

At last Preston pointed out to me a little wooden pier or
jetty ahead, which he said was my landing; and the steamer
soon drew up to it. I could see only a broken bank, fifteen