"
"Thank you," said Sara, "I will be very glad to use it," and seated
herself at her desk in the business-like way she was acquiring, much to
the professor's secret amusement.
That noon, as he sat opposite his wife at table, he said,--
"Marian, I want you to look out of the window about a quarter past one,
and you will see a _rara avis_."
"Goodness! Henry, you're not having any of those horrid dinornis things
brought to the house, are you?"
He laughed.
"No, my dear; this rare bird I have in mind is simply a handsome girl,
who doesn't enjoy being stared at by the students,--in a word, my little
helper, Miss Olmstead,--and I've told her to travel by my own cross-
roads, because she comes in all of a flutter, mornings, after running
the gantlet of those college scamps on the campus."
His wife gave a quick, appreciative nod. She was a pale, dark-eyed
woman, with a face of rare intelligence and sweetness.
"Indeed I do want a peep at her, Henry; she's the fisher-girl with the
family on her hands, that Madame Grandet told us about, isn't she?"
"Yes, the same; let me give you another croquette, wife." "No, thanks;
I've sufficient. And how does she appear, very provincial?"
"Not at all, that I can see, unless to be modest as a violet, and
business-like as a night-editor, be provincial.
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