Page and Lilly, to Mary's new flour-scoop, Debby's sifter,
and a bottle of home-made hair tonic from an old woman in the "County
Home." Each of the brothers and sisters had made her something, Katy
having expressed a preference for presents of home manufacture. Mrs. Ashe
gave her a beautiful sapphire ring, and Cecy Hall--as they still called
her inadvertently half the time--an elaborate sofa-pillow embroidered by
herself. Katy liked all her gifts, both large and small, both for what
they were and for what they meant, and took a good healthy, hearty
satisfaction in the fact that so many people cared for her, and had worked
to give her a pleasure.
Cousin Helen was the first guest to arrive, five days before the wedding.
When Dr. Carr, who had gone to Buffalo to meet and escort her down, lifted
her from the carriage and carried her indoors, all of them could easily
have fancied that it was the first visit happening over again, for she
looked exactly as she did then, and scarcely a day older. She happened to
have on a soft gray travelling dress too, much like that which she wore on
the previous occasion, which made the illusion more complete.
But there was no illusion to Cousin Helen herself. Everything to her
seemed changed and quite different. The ten years which had passed so
lightly over her head had made a vast alteration in the cousins whom she
remembered as children.
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