(seq. 22)

opportunities or made mistakes as she had made mistakes
there was an understanding & an affection between them
that was very pleasant they had the same [kinds?] & likes & liked the
same pursuits & Mrs Merriam's house was a second home
to May. That afternoon May helped Mrs Merriam attend
to the little matters that had to be arranged for the
evening the drawing up of the prizes & favours arranging sorting flowers
& later setting out the silver & china, Afterward they planned
to have the last part for their reading & after they had given an
hour or two to the English essayists whom they were studying
they fell to discussing the expected guests. They were speaking of
rich girl & May told Mrs Merriam how hard it had been for her
to understand --- - lately. You know we used to be great
friends she said but now Mabel is so strange sometimes
she acts as though she were very fond of me & then she will
hardly speak at all. I don't can't explain understand it at all. There is
something the matter with Mabel said Mrs Merriam she
isn't happy you could see that by her face she is one of those
people who need somebody to love & care for & she can't get
interested in things aside from people. The world to her means
the men & women who live in it & nothing more. And as for [Jim?]
Mrs Merriam went on he is getting vastly more sociable
since he came home. Young Saunders had come to left college
2 months before & had gone into his father's mills. May