Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER V. LETTER FROM PEG. " Trescott Hall, July 20, 18—. " Dear Home : — The envelope, bulging with your last letters, came the other evening, when I was feeling a bit tired and homesick, and I could hardly repress a cry of delight. ' Letters,' I call them, but they were talks, wherein I could see the very play of your features and the ebb and flow of your breath between the periods; real, genuine talks, as void of syntax, punctuation, and premeditation as though they'd been done to order, — a good, old-fashioned dose of home tonic, put up and sent me for that especial fit of blues, like a dish of thorough- wort or catnip-tea. And, for the most part, I have lived upon them ever since; my only present fear being that I shall have them read to pieces before another budget comes. " And now for myself. You bid me tell you all; and all you shall have, though it promises now to be but a 'twice-told tale.' You must never forget that occurrences worthy of note must be rare in this quiet place, and, the daily routine once known to you, you have the sum and make-up of our outward being. For the riff-raff of petty things that differentiates one day from another, I cannot natter myself you will care much for it; but you shall have all I have time and patience to write, as it will be, for the most part, my only stock in trade. " I am getting now somewhat worn to harness. My position, and the esteem due to it, are being gradually defined, and I become, in consequence, more content and well assured. My first impressions of the family have been confirmed on larger acquaintance, with one or two exceptions, which I will presently note. The children have proved more tractable and interesting than 1 dared hope. I am treated with due respect, by one and all. My quarters are comfortabl...