“I know, but she will come back if we send for her and tell her that she and Jim are to be sent out in the express wagon on a benevolent expedition to the heathens—­the uncultured domestic heathens.  We can have some of the architect’s letters printed in tract form for them to distribute, and they can take along these superfluous plans to be applied where they will be most effective.  Take, for instance, this hall screen, or whatever it may be, with the square staircase behind it.  This would be just the thing for one of those old-fashioned square houses with the hall running through the middle and the long staircase splitting the hall in two lengthwise.  If Bessie could persuade the owner of a single one of these old houses to take out the straight and narrow stairs, move them back, and, by introducing this semblance of a separation, make a reception hall of the front part, she would feel that she had not lived in vain.  If she could at the same time cause cashmere shawls and rag carpets to be hung as portieres in place of doors to the front rooms she would be ready for translation.”

Jill laughed.  “I’m not sure,” said she, “but this is a good field for people of missionary proclivities.  Some of these old-fashioned houses have far more real, artistic excellence than those of the later, transition periods, and need but slight alterations to be most satisfactory types of architectural beauty as well as models of comfort and convenience.  Broad, easy stairs, wide doorways and generous windows, with ample porches and piazzas outside, would transform them and make them not merely as good as new, but vastly better.  Reopening fireplaces that have been ignominiously bricked up would be another promising field.”

“Oh!  I tell you my idea is a capital one.  I’ll send for Bess this very day.  They shall have Bob and the express wagon a week if they want it.  They shall dispense an esthetic gospel and accumulate ancient bric-a-brac to their hearts’ content.  Bessie will be in ecstacies, and Jim will be in a helpless state of amazement and admiration.”

[Illustration:  A DIVIDING SCREEN AT THE FOOT OF THE STAIRS.]

“How perfectly absurd, Jack!  I wouldn’t allow those children to go off on such an excursion for all the old houses in America.  One would think you were determined to have an esthetic sister-in-law at all hazards.”

“Never thought of such a thing!  But now that you suggest it—­”

“I haven’t suggested it,” said Jill indignantly.

“Well, you put it into my head at all events, and really now it wouldn’t be such a bad idea.  Jim is behind the times, artistically speaking, and needs to be waked up; and as for Bess, she would very soon learn to be careful how she expressed a longing for the unattainable, for Jim is a practical fellow, and whatever she wanted he would go for in a twinkling.  Honestly, Jill, it strikes me as a first-class notion, and I’m glad you suggested it.”