"
"If you put on such long faces when she is only going sixty miles away
for a few weeks, what would you do if she should go away to live?"
asked Cousin Helen.
"But she never will do that, for she has promised," said Carl
confidently.
Bess's face suddenly brightened. "It will be helping, to let her go,
won't it?"
"I suppose so," sighed Louise, "but it is such a dreadful thing."
"Oh, no, not dreadful at all!" and Aunt Zelie laughed at the doleful
faces. "You can help, all of you, by being cheerful. And think what
nice letters you can write me!"
"What will the club do?" Carl demanded.
"Conduct itself with propriety, to be sure; and now I must pack my
trunk."
"Think of your wishing that something would happen!" said Bess
reproachfully to her brother as they went upstairs.
It was very forlorn next morning to say good-by, knowing that when
they came from school Aunt Zelie would not be there; but they
remembered their promise and tried to be cheerful. How the rest of the
day passed Bess told in a letter written that evening:
DEAR AUNT ZELIE: You have been gone ten hours. Carl counted it
up, and we miss you very much. Father has come home, so that is
one comfort. He is reading the paper now.
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