My Pretty Sister 



Esther and he had been fast friends from 

 her earUest childhood, and it was the most 

 natural thing in the world that the old 

 feeling should ripen into love, as soon as he 

 left off going to school, and she got into 

 long frocks. 



Very shortly after Esther's seventeenth 

 birthday John had to sail with his ship for 

 a two years' absence. Esther was very 

 downhearted during the few weeks pre- 

 ceding his departure, and her spirits told 

 on her health. One morning I remember 

 she said to Mary, with a little forced laugh, 

 ♦^ I had such an odd dream last night," and 

 then she went on to tell it. ''I was in the 

 shop serving a lady, and as she left another 

 person entered, a strange veiled figure. I 

 went forward and the figure put out its 

 hand and said, ' I am coming to fetch you 

 on the 15th of August,' and I shrank back 

 and said, ' Oh, no, don't do that ; that is 

 my brother Harry's birthday'; and then it 

 said, ' I shall come for you on the 15th of 

 September,' and then I woke up.' Wasn't 

 it a queer dream ? " 



''Yes, very queer," said Mary, rather 

 abruptly, ''and entirely due to your not eat- 

 ing enough, child, and being in low spirits. 

 If'^I were you I should forget all about the 

 silly thing, and eat a good breakfast." 

 164 



