`` If only Cousin Abner 's girls would come ! '' she once said wistfully to Mary . `` Nobody can quite take the place of one 's own , you know . My heart yearns after them . '' Mary was very silent and thoughtful as she drove back to Trenton that night . Two days afterwards , she went to Mrs. Gardiner 's lawn party . The Reed girls were there . They were tall , fair , handsome girls , somewhat too lavishly and pronouncedly dressed in expensive gowns and hats , and looking , as they felt , very much on the outside of things . They brightened and bridled , however , when Mrs. Gardiner brought Mary Seymour up and introduced her . If there was one thing on earth that the Reed girls longed for more than another it was to `` get in '' with the Seymour girls . After Mary had chatted with them for a few minutes in a friendly way , she said , `` I think we have a mutual friend in Miss Sally Temple of Golden Gate , have n't we ? I 'm sure I 've heard her speak of you . '' The Reed girls flushed . They did not care to have the rich Seymour girls know of their connection with that queer old cousin of their father 's who lived in that out-of-the-world spot up-country . `` She is a distant cousin of ours , '' said Beatrice carelessly , `` but we 've never met her . '' `` Oh , how much you have missed ! '' said Mary frankly . `` She is the sweetest and most charming little lady I have ever met , and I am proud to number her among my friends . Golden Gate is such an idyllic little spot , too . We go there so often that I fear Miss Sally will think we mean to outwear our welcome .
We hope XXXXX have her visit us in town this winter .
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