Mrs. Lathrop was out in the garden, pottering around in an aimless sort of way which she herself designated as "looking after things," but which her friend and neighbor called "wastin' time an' strength on nothin'." Whenever Miss Clegg perceived Mrs. Lathrop thus engaged she always interrupted her occupation as speedily as possible. On the occasion of which I write, she emerged from her own kitchen door at once, and called: "Oh, Mrs. Lathrop, come here, I've got a surprise for you." Mrs. Lathrop forthwith ceased to gaze fondly and absent-mindedly over her half-acre of domain, and advanced to the fence. Miss Clegg also advanced to the fence, and upon its opposite sides the following conversation took place. "I went to see Mrs. Macy yesterday afternoon," Miss Clegg began, "an' I saw her an' that's what the surprise come from." "She isn't--" asked Mrs. Lathrop anxiously. "Oh, no, she's all right--that is, she's pretty nearly all right, but I may remark as the sight an' hearin' of her this day is a everlastin' lesson on lettin' women be women an' allowin' men to keep on bein' men for some years to come yet. Mrs. Macy says for her part she's felt that way all along but every one said it was her duty an' she says she always makes a point of doin' her duty, an' this time it was goin' to give her a free trip to town, too, so the hand of Providence seemed to her to be even more'n unusually plainly stuck out at her." "Oh," said Mrs. Lathrop--"you mean--" "Of course I do," said Susan, "but wait till I tell you how it come out. It's come out now, an' all different from how you know." "I--" said Mrs. Lathrop. "Well, you wait an' listen," said the friend,--"you wait an' listen an' then you'll know, too." "I--" said Mrs. Lathrop, submissively.