180 THE FAT OF THE LAND 



Kate is our first-born. She is a bright, beauti- 

 ful woman of five-and-twenty, who has had a 

 husband these six years, one daughter for four 

 years, and, wonderful to relate, another daughter 

 for two years. She is quick and practical, with 

 strong opinions of her own, prompt with advice 

 and just as prompt with aid ; a woman with a 

 temper, but a friend to tie to in time of stress. 

 She has the education of a good school, and what 

 is infinitely better, the cultivation of an observ- 

 ing mind. She is quick with tongue and pen, 

 but her quickness is so tempered by unquestioned 

 friendliness that it fastens people to her as with 

 a cord. She overflows with interests of every 

 description, but she is never too busy to listen 

 sympathetically to a child or a friend. She is 

 the practical member of the family, and we 

 rarely do much out of the ordinary without first 

 talking it over with Kate. 



Tom Hamilton, her husband, is a young man 

 who is getting on in the world. He is clever in 

 his profession, and sure to succeed beyond the 

 success of most men. He is quiet in manner, 

 but he seems to have a way of managing his 

 quick, handsome wife, which is something of a 

 surprise to me, and to her also, I fancy. They 

 are congenial and happy, and their children are 

 beings to adore. Tom and Kate are to live in 

 town. They are too young for the joys of coun- 

 try life, and must needs drag on as they are, 

 loved and admired by a host of friends. They 



