Miss Christie saw great diversities in his children, but in regard to them all he showed an aggravating degree of contentment with what Providence had sent him.

Miss Christie wore through Johnnie's sojourn at home as well as she could, and was very happy when she saw him off to school again; happier still when walking towards home across the fields with John Mortimer and the four younger children, they saw Brandon and Valentine at a distance coming to meet them.
"So they are at home again," she exclaimed; "and now we'll hear all about the wedding that is to be.

I've been just wearying for the _parteeculars_, and there never were such bad letter-writers as those girls.

Anyhow there'll be a handsome bridegroom." "Ah!" said John Mortimer, "all the ladies admire Val.

He's quite a woman's man." "Well, and St.George is a man's man, then," retorted Miss Christie; "ye all admire him, I am sure." "And what are you, papa, dearest ?" asked Janie, who had hold of his hand.
"I'm my own man, my little queen-regnant," answered her father with a somewhat exultant laugh.
"Ay, Mr.Mortimer, I'm just surprised at ye," quoth Miss Christie, shaking her head over these vainglorious words.
"I think father's the most beautifullest man of all," said little Janie, with a sort of jealous feeling as if somehow he had been disparaged, though she did not exactly know how.