Lisa looked thoughtful. “Yes,” she answered. “And, Persis, I have something to tell you. No one knows yet, except mamma. Captain Wickes is ordered to Japan. Aunt Esther is going to join him there, and she has invited me to go with her.”
Persis’s eyes grew big with surprise. “Oh, Lisa!” was all she could ejaculate.
“Mamma has left me to make up my mind. You know Aunt Esther says I shall not be put to the least expense; that it shall be just as if I were her own daughter.”
“Oh, Lisa!” exclaimed Persis again. “I am so afraid you might marry a missionary, and you’d have to live there always in one of those funny little houses with paper partitions, and it would be so dreadful.”
Lisa laughed. “I can solemnly assure you that I will not marry a missionary. My one winter in society has shown me that missionary work served up without the sauce of other diversions would not be to my liking, so count the missionary out, if you please. I’ve always been wild to go to Japan—and—and—there are other reasons why I should like to go away for a while.”
“Then you have really decided to go? Oh, Lisa, I hate to think of a break in the family.”
“Well,” returned Lisa, “I thought I might be willing to go if Aunt Esther would promise faithfully that I could come back after three months if I wanted to. She wants me to stay a year, but I cannot make up my mind to do that. Just think, Persis, I shall see California, and just imagine what an experience it will all be! They say nothing develops one like travel.”
Persis was looking very dubious.
“I’ll bring you the loveliest kimono, and oh, Perse, I’ll get you a China crêpe in San Francisco for your graduating dress.”
Persis looked pleased, but her face fell directly, as she said, “Then you won’t be here for class-day.”