"It is hardly worth while to try and break people of bad habits at eighty-eight," said Mrs. Van Alstine. "I don't think I shall try to reform Aunt Eugenia's till I have quite finished with my own, and by that time I think she will be done with snuff-boxes."
Marion fancied there was a tone of reproof in her mother's words, and dropped the subject. She was busily engaged all the morning in putting away her goods, and answering her mother's questions about home matters. Marion had no intention of telling any untruths, but she certainly gave her mother clearly to understand that she had never had justice done her at home either by her aunt or Miss Oliver.
"I hope you will like Mrs. Andrews—Cousin Helen, as we all call her," said Mrs. Van Alstine rather anxiously. "Our children and Amity's think her perfection, and the boys certainly get on very well. Harry says Abram and Frank know as much Latin now as he did when he entered college."
"Is Harry in college?" asked Marion, surprised.
"Yes; he entered on the Sophomore year at Princeton, and is now a senior. He is only at home for his vacation, and expects to graduate next commencement if all goes well."
"I am glad the boys are learning Latin, because I shall be able to help them with their lessons," said Marion, remembering her part of the model elder sister. "What do they mean to make of themselves?"
"That is hardly decided yet," said her mother, smiling; "both Bram and Frank have a turn for natural science, and Frank is a good botanist already. They may both study medicine, or perhaps take to some professorship. Hector says he means to be a tanner and help father, and Rob will be whatever Hector is; they seem to have but one mind between them."
"I thought Asahel was in business with father," said Marion.
"He is in a fashion—that is, father owns the tannery which Asahel is running over at the Bottom. He used to be concerned in this one," said Mrs. Van Alstine, with a little sigh; "and when he was married, father built him a very pretty little house. But Gerty was not contented here, and on the whole it was thought better to make another arrangement, so he went over to Rock Bottom, where there is quite a village. I was sorry, for father misses Asahel very much. You know—or I suppose you don't know—that tanning is a business that runs very much in families. You will find that the eldest son of a tanner is almost always a tanner himself, and joins his father in business. But there is the twelve o'clock bell, and I must go down and see that Maggy is ready. She is apt to be a little unpunctual, unless somebody hurries her at the last. The bell will ring when dinner is ready, and then you will see the family all together, except Aunt Eugenia. She likes to dine in her own room."
The bell rang before Marion had finished brushing her hair and washing her hands. She hurried down and found the whole family assembled round the table, and her father already beginning to carve the mountain of roast beef before him. Her mother had reserved a chair at her right hand, and Marion stepped into it, vexed at herself as usual, and wondering what they would think of her being so late.