as ever.  Well, we had an awful time with Hugh that night.  He attempted to shoot himself, and mother cried and father scolded, and Lancy had to come and watch him till daylight.  We were getting over our scare, and I was beginning to think it was a ‘temporary fit of insanity,’ as Cora said, when we were startled by another fit that is anything but ‘temporary’ this time, for Hugh asked papa to rent him the other half of the house where you lived, stating that he was going to be married immediately!  Of course we wanted to know the name of the lady, and you can imagine our surprise and dismay when he said it was Nina Gordon.  We all felt badly about it, for no one can imagine for a minute that he cares for her.  As soon as he had rented the house he started off to Montreal, taking Mrs. Gordon and her daughter with him, and he returned about a fortnight ago, bringing Nina as his wife.  Mrs. Gordon is to live in Montreal, and however Nina will manage without her mother at her elbow, is what puzzles everybody.

“I did not see Mrs. McNeil till a few days ago, for I was huffy at Hugh and would not be friendly with his wife; but when I did call I got such a surprise that for a few minutes I stood still in astonishment, for, if you will believe me, Dexie, they have got the house fixed up just as it used to look when you lived there—­the same pattern of carpets and curtains, the pictures on the wall seem to be the very same, even to ‘George Washington’ that you used to make fun of.  A piano occupies the same spot, and in the midst of it all there sat Nina with one of your pretty dresses on.  Well, I suppose, the dress was her own, but I cannot understand how she happened to get it made so much like yours.  Of course I made remarks, how could I help it when everything was so much like old times! but, in the most unexpected moment, in came Hugh, and the way he went on at me was something fearful!  I am sure I never hinted that he had not a right to furnish his house to suit himself, but when I went home he followed me and had a long talk to mother about me.  Nasty thing, that he is! and now I am forbidden to mention to anyone the astonishing resemblances that I see next door.  They have sent me to my room for an hour because I looked surprised at a remarkable thing, so I thought I would sit down and tell you how badly I am treated, for I am snubbed at every turn, and no one likes to be continually snubbed.

“We like Lancy’s wife very much, though she is different from what we expected.  It is quite plain that she is very much in love with Lancy, so he ought to be pleased.  I suppose it will not be ‘the correct thing,’ as Nina says, if I tell you why we felt so disappointed over his marriage, but we all expected his wife would be the dear girl we used to know and love.  I often think that Lancy misses her, for his wife is not a bit musical; but everything is contrary here.  There!  I am called, and my hour is not yet up, so that’s odd, too.”