NEW FRIENDS AND OLD
'Twould be too bad to be true, my dear,
And wonders never cease;
Twould be too bad to be true, my dear,
If all one's swans were geese!
Vivian's startled cry of welcome was heard by Susie, perched on the stairs with several eager youths gathered as close as might be about her, and several pairs of hands helped her swift descent to greet her brother.
Miss Orella, dropping Mr. Dykeman's arm, came flying from the ball-room.
"Oh, Morton! Morton! When did you come? Why didn't you let us know? Oh, my dear boy!"
She haled him into their special parlor, took his hat away from him, pulled out the most comfortable chair.
"Have you had supper? And to think that we haven't a room for you! But there's to be one vacant—next week. I'll see that there is. You shall have my room, dear boy. Oh, I am so glad to see you!"
Susie gave him a sisterly hug, while he kissed her, somewhat gingerly, on the cheek, and then she perched herself on the arm of a chair and gazed upon him with affectionate interest. Vivian gazed also, busily engaged in fitting present facts to past memories.
Surely he had not looked just like that! The Morton of her girlhood's dream had a clear complexion, a bright eye, a brave and gallant look—the voice only had not changed.
But here was Morton in present fact, something taller, it seemed, and a good deal heavier, well dressed in a rather vivid way, and making merry over his aunt's devotion.