Unfortunately her peculiar mode of enjoying herself is calculated to have rather a depressing influence upon the spirits of those with whom she comes in contact--always excepting Jack, who has a lively sense of the ludicrous, and never enjoys himself better than in bantering his aunt.
"I don't expect to live more'n a week," said Rachel, one day.

"My sands of life are 'most run out." "Are you sure of that, Aunt Rachel ?" asked Jack.
"Yes, I've got a presentiment that it's so." "Then, if you're sure of it," said her nephew, gravely, "it may be as well to order the coffin in time.

What style would you prefer ?" Rachel retreated to her room in tears, exclaiming that he needn't be in such a hurry to get her out of the world; but she came down to supper, and ate with her usual appetite.
Ida is no less a favorite with Jack than with the rest of the household.
Indeed, he has constituted himself her especial guardian.

Rough as he is in the playground, he is always gentle with her.

When she was just learning to walk, and in her helplessness needed the constant care of others, he used, from choice, to relieve his mother of much of the task of amusing the child.