Mrs.Owen was grimly silent when appealed to; it had never been her idea that Marian should be prepared for college; but now that the girl's mother had pledged herself to the undertaking Mrs.
Owen remained a passive spectator of the struggle.

Mrs.Owen was not so dull but that she surmised what had inspired this zeal for a collegiate training for Marian; and her heart warmed toward the dark young person at Wellesley, such being the contrariety of her kindly soul.

To Miss Waring, a particular friend of hers and one of her admirations, Mrs.
Owen said:-- "I want you to do the best you can for Marian, now that her mother's bitten with this idea of sending her to college.

She's smart enough, I guess ?" "Too much smartness is Marian's trouble," replied Miss Waring.

"There's nothing in the gymnasium she can't do; she's become the best French scholar we ever had, but that's about all.