“It’s graduate, ma’am. That means finish their edication, honorable. Young Le Force graduated offen the Naval ’Cademy before he ever went to sea as a midshipman, and my scamp, Roland Bayard, graduated offen the Charlotte Hall ’Cademy before he ran away and went to sea as a common sailor. I s’pose these girls is a-going to graduate offen the ‘cademy where they are getting their edication, and I hope they will do theirselves credit. When your parents do the best they can for you, sez I, you ought to try to do the best you can for yourself, sez I, which is the best return you can make them, sez I.”
“To do the best you can for them, I should think would be the first thing to think about, and, likewise, best return to make them. But now I’ll go on with my letter:
“‘The girls expect to graduate at the academic commencement, on the first of June’—graduate at the commencement! I thought pupils graduated at the end!—‘after which we expect to come down to Mondreer for the summer, previous to going to Europe. I have much news of importance to tell you, which concerns yourself as much as it affects us; but it is of such a nature that it had best be reserved for the present. Expecting to see you, I remain your friend,
Elfrida Force.’”
“So they are actually coming home at last,” said Miss Sibby.
“Yes, actially coming home at last,” assented the housekeeper. “But, look here. What does she mean by that news as she has got to tell me which concerns she and I both? I reckon it must be news of my rascal. Lord! I wonder if it is? I wonder if he’s been hung or anything? I hope to gracious he has! And then she wouldn’t mention it in a letter, but wait until she could tell me all about it! It must be that, ole ’oman—my rascal’s hung!”
“I reckon it is! When a man lives a bad life, sez I, he must expect to die a bad death, sez I.”
“Well, I shan’t go in mourning for him, that’s certain, whether he’s hung or drowned. But we shall hear all about it when the folks come home. Lord! why, the place will be like another house, with all them young gals in it!”
“I might ’a’ knowed somethin’ was up t’other Sunday, when I heard Miss Grandiere tell Parson Peters, at All Faith Church, how she and Mrs. Hedge were both going to Washington on the first of June. Of course, it is to the commencement they’re going, to see Rosemary graduate along with the others.”
“But to hear ’em call the end of a thing its commencement, takes me,” said Mrs. Anglesea.