PANDORA'S CHEST 373 



confess that Lady Lazy has not yet redeemed herself, 

 and at present likes her feet to fall upon soft rugs. 

 The Infant's gray squirrels, Punch and Judy, and the 

 persistent sparrows have found their way to the house, 

 taking their daily rations from the roof of the shed. 

 Punch, stuffed to repletion, has a cache under the 

 old syringa bushes, the sparrows seeming to escort 

 him in his travels to and fro, but whether for compan- 

 ionship or in hope of gain, who can say? 



The plans for the remodelling of Opal Farm-house 

 are really very attractive and yet it will be delight- 

 fully simple to care for. Maria and The Man have 

 agreed better about them than over anything I have 

 ever heard them discuss ; but then, as it is purely a 

 business arrangement, I suppose that Maria feels free 

 from her usual pernickety restraint. 



We surmise that either she has much more laid 

 by than we supposed or she is waxing extrava- 

 gant, for she has had the opal, that The Man gave her 

 once in exchange for an old coin, surrounded with 

 very good diamonds and set as a ring ! Really I never 

 before noticed what fine strong white hands she has. 



I shall ask Father Penrose for the Cyclopedia 

 it has a substantial sound that may soften his suspicion 

 that we are not practical and were not properly grieved 

 over the loss of the hens ! 



