There’s been company every evening at dinner—Tom Hearst, of course, and Rupert Walsh one evening, and other friends of Philip’s; and Frances Pounder has been visiting the Ormsbys, and Belle was there, too, for a few days, so that it’s like a dinner-party every evening. Edith wants to have something special for me before I go, probably just an informal evening at home with a little dancing—a very little, I fancy, for the boys hate to dance in summer.
Of course you ’ll be shocked to hear that I ’ve hardly read a thing since I came here. You see, Edith and I have so much to talk about. Besides, although she’s rather serious, she is n’t as fond of reading as you are. I miss your influence, and Amy’s. That reminds me, I have n’t written to Amy yet, but I’m going to ask her to assist at the wedding; Agnes says the more young girls there are there the better she ’ll like it. Don’t you feel excited when you think of being a bridesmaid? I’m sure I do. You know you ’re to meet me in Boston on the 25th to try the dresses, and mamma says we’d better stay in town over night. She and Agnes will be there, so I think that would be a good time to go out to Shiloh, just as we planned. Edith sends love, and so would Philip, if he knew I was writing.
So good-bye (honestly, I should think you ’d And it very stupid in the country).
Affectionately,
Julia smiled a little as she read this characteristic letter, and she saw that her cousin was really enjoying her visit. Yet the description of the gayety did not make her discontented with the life that she herself had been leading during her fortnight in Maine.
“It’s rather comical, too, that Brenda has forgotten
