Itwasalittlesingularthatwithoutawordofinquiryoneitherside,thelettersofthegirlswereprincipallyfilledwithtidingsoftheirrespectivelovers。PhebewroteaboutMac;RoseansweredwithminuteparticularsaboutArchie;andbothaddedhastyitemsconcerningtheirownaffairs,asifthesewereoflittleconsequence。
Phebegotthemostsatisfactionoutofthecorrespondence,forsoonafterthebookappearedRosebegantowantMachomeagainandtoberatherjealousofthenewdutiesanddelightsthatkepthim。Shewasimmenselyproudofherpoet,andhadlittlejubileesoverthebeautifulfulfillmentofherprophecies,forevenAuntPlentyownednowwithcontritionthat\"theboywasnotafool。\"Everywordofpraisewasreadaloudonthehousetops,sotospeak,byhappyRose;everyadversecriticismwashotlydisputed;
andthewholefamilywasinagreatstateofpleasantexcitementoverthisunexpectedlysuccessfulfirstflightoftheUglyDuckling,nowgenerallyconsideredbyhisrelativesasthemostpromisingyoungswanoftheflock。
AuntJanewasparticularlyfunnyinhernewpositionofmothertoacallowpoetandconductedherselflikeaproudbutbewilderedhenwhenoneofherbroodtakestothewater。Sheporedoverthepoems,tryingtoappreciatethembutquitefailingtodoso,forlifewasallprosetoher,andshevainlytriedtodiscoverwhereMacgothistalentfrom。Itwasprettytoseethenewrespectwithwhichshetreatedhispossessionsnow;
theoldbooksweredustedwithasortofreverence;scrapsofpaperwerelaidcarefullybylestsomeimmortalversebelost;andacertainshabbyvelvetjacketfondlysmoothedwhennoonewasbytosmileatthematernalpridewithfilledherheartandcausedheronceseverecountenancetoshinewithunwontedbenignity。