"We hope that he will be by the fall," said Mrs. Blythe. "An idle summer
in the open air and sunshine will do a great deal for him."

"Typhoid is a hard thing to get over," said Miss Cornelia emphatically,
"especially when one has had such a close shave as Walter had. I think
he'd do well to stay out of college another year. But then he's so
ambitious. Are Di and Nan going too?"

"Yes. They both wanted to teach another year but Gilbert thinks they had
better go to Redmond this fall."

"I'm glad of that. They'll keep an eye on Walter and see that he doesn't
study too hard. I suppose," continued Miss Cornelia, with a side glance
at Susan, "that after the snub I got a few minutes ago it will not be
safe for me to suggest that Jerry Meredith is making sheep's eyes at
Nan."

Susan ignored this and Mrs. Blythe laughed again.

"Dear Miss Cornelia, I have my hands full, haven't I?--with all these
boys and girls sweethearting around me? If I took it seriously it would
quite crush me. But I don't--it is too hard yet to realize that they're
grown up. When I look at those two tall sons of mine I wonder if they
can possibly be the fat, sweet, dimpled babies I kissed and cuddled and
sang to slumber the other day--only the other day, Miss Cornelia.
Wasn't Jem the dearest baby in the old House of Dreams? and now he's a
B.A. and accused of courting."

"We're all growing older," sighed Miss Cornelia.