The morning dawned, and clear and frosty. Everybody was up early, for the travellers must leave in time to catch the nine o’clock train. The horse was harnessed and Uncle Alec was waiting by the door. Aunt Janet was crying, but everybody else was making a effort not to. The Awkward Man and Mrs. Dale came to see the last of their favourite. Mrs. Dale had brought her a glorious sheaf of , and the Awkward Man gave her, quite , another little, old, limp book from his library.  
“Read it when you are sad or happy or lonely or discouraged or hopeful,” he said gravely.
 
“He has really improved very much since he got married,” whispered Felicity to me.
 
Sara Stanley wore a smart new travelling suit and a blue felt hat with a white feather. She looked so horribly grown up in it that we felt as if she were lost to us already.
 
Sara Ray had tearfully the night before that she would be up in the morning to say farewell. But at this Judy Pineau appeared to say that Sara, with her usual luck, had a sore throat, and that her mother consequently would not permit her to come. So Sara had written her parting words in a three-cornered pink note.
 
  “My OWN DARLING FRIEND:—WORDS CANNOT EXPRESS my feelings over not
  being able to go up this morning to say good-bye to one I so
  FONDLY ADORE.  When I think that I cannot SEE YOU AGAIN my heart
  is almost TOO FULL FOR .  But mother says I cannot and I
  MUST OBEY.  But I will be present IN SPIRIT.  It just BREAKS MY
  HEART that you are going SO FAR AWAY.  You have always been SO
  KIND to me and never hurt my feelings AS SOME DO and I shall miss
  you SO MUCH.  But I earnestly HOPE AND PRAY that you will be HAPPY
  AND PROSPEROUS wherever YOUR LOT IS CAST and not be on THE
  GREAT OCEAN.  I hope you will find time AMONG YOUR MANY DUTIES to
  write me a letter ONCE IN A WHILE.  I shall ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU
  and please remember me.  I hope we WILL MEET AGAIN sometime, but
  if not may we meet in A FAR BETTER WOR............