“I am greatly obliged to you, boys,” Aunt Wealthy said in her sweet, silvery tones, glancing from Ethel to Blanche and back again, “for furnishing me with two such sweet and lovable grand-nieces. I only wish I could keep you and them near me without robbing our dear ones in your native town. Now if you could persuade your parents and grandparents to leave Pleasant Plains for Lansdale and you to settle here also, it would be very delightful to your old auntie.”
“It would be very delightful for us to have her near at hand,” returned Percy with a smile, “but surely much easier to carry her there with us, than to bring all our numerous tribe here. What do you say to the idea of joining our party when we start for home again, Aunt Wealthy?”
“Ah, no, laddie! I’m too old a fixture to be moved,” returned the old lady, shaking her head. “I am only living from day to day with the feeling that home is all ready for me in that better land and that I may at any moment hear the glad summons to go to it and the dear Master who has prepared it for me.”
“And yet how very peaceful and happy you look, auntie,” remarked Blanche. “Do you not dread that summons at all?”
“Oh, no, child. Why should I or anyone dread a call to go home to the Father’s house on high? I can truly say I do not dread it half so much as I should the earthly journey from here to Pleasant Plains. That would cause me much weariness; the other none at all.”
“I think you are to be envied, Aunt Wealthy,” said Blanche. “I don’t think it is altogether because you are old and weary of life either, because our dear young sister Nannette seemed as glad to go to that dear home as anybody could be.”
“I hope you will tell us all about her while you are here,” remarked Mrs. Duncan, with a look of interest.
“Yes,” said Mrs. Allison, “and also about your wedding, for we have heard absolutely nothing so far.”
“Our mothers, and the rest at Pleasant Plains, have been too busy to write, I presume,” observed Stuart; “but you shall have all the particulars you care for from us before we leave.”
“Yes, you must please tell us all about it this evening when Dr. and Mrs. Prince will be in to hear it too.”