She said she would be back in time, but now writes that she finds Newport so delightful, and the sea-breezes doing her so much good, that she can't tear herself away just yet." "Well, dear, as she is your mother and my sister, we will try not to criticise or find fault with her," responded Elsie, in a gently soothing tone.
"No; I ought not," acknowledged Evelyn; "papa never does; at least not to me.

Mamma said she thought we could entertain you for a short time, and we mean to do our best." "Yes, dear child; but we must not allow your father to exert himself to that end; we did not come to be entertained, but to try to be of use to him." "It was very kind," said Evelyn, gratefully; "it must have been quite a sacrifice, for you to leave that beautiful Nantucket so soon after arriving there; I know about it, because we were there two summers ago, and I could hardly bear to come away." "It is very pleasant there, but so it is here also," responded Elsie.
Evelyn looked much pleased.

"I am glad you like it, Aunt Elsie," she said.

"_I_ think it the dearest spot on earth; but then it has always been my home." "You are justly partial to it, Evelyn," Elsie said, "for it is a sweet spot." "Thank you.

Our dinner will be ready in about an hour from now; but don't take the trouble to dress, there will be no one but ourselves," Evelyn said, retiring.
Elsie was not sorry to learn that her sister-in-law was absent from home; for though neither really disliked the other, they were not congenial; their opinions, their tastes, their views of life, its pleasures and its duties, were so widely different that they could have but little in common.
A proud, self-important woman would have taken offence at the lack of hospitality and consideration shown her in the failure of the mistress of the house to be present with a welcome on her arrival, but such was not Elsie's character.