"I heard that Mrs. Lawrence, Mr. Bradford's Aunt Patty, was coming to make her a visit."
"Ah, poor Margaret!" said Annie Stanton, but she laughed as she spoke. "It is indeed a trial, but my sister receives it with becoming submission."
"Why does Mrs. Bradford invite her when she always makes herself so disagreeable?" asked Miss Ellis.
"She comes self-invited," replied Annie. "Margaret did not ask her."
"I should think not, considering the circumstances under which they last parted," said Carrie Hall.
"Oh, Margaret has long since forgotten and forgiven all that," said Annie, "and she and Mr. Bradford have several times endeavored to bring about a reconciliation, inviting Aunt Patty to visit them, or sending kind messages and other tokens of good-will. The old lady, however, was not to be appeased, and for the last three or four years has held no intercourse with my brother's family. Now she suddenly writes, saying she intends to make them a visit."
"I should decline it if I were in the place of Mr. and Mrs. Bradford," said Carrie.
"I fear I should do the same," replied Annie, "but Margaret and Mr. Bradford are more forgiving. I am quite sure though that they look upon this visit as a duty to be endured, not a pleasure to be enjoyed, especially as the children are now older, and she will be the more likely to make trouble with them."
"I suppose they have quite forgotten her," said Carrie.
"Harry and Fred may remember her," answered Annie, "but the others were too young to recollect her at this distance of time. Bessie was a baby, Maggie scarcely three years old."