I love life so much for giving me such a friendship ! This morning I wakened at dawn and stole away to the shore before anyone else was up . I had a delightful run-away . The long , low-lying meadows between `` The Evergreens '' and the shore were dewy and fresh in that first light , that was as fine and purely tinted as the heart of one of my white roses . On the beach the water was purring in little blue ripples , and , oh , the sunrise out there beyond the harbour ! All the eastern Heaven was abloom with it . And there was a wind that came dancing and whistling up the channel to replace the beautiful silence with a music more beautiful still . The rest of the folks were just coming downstairs when I got back to breakfast . They were all yawny , and some were grumpy , but I had washed my being in the sunrise and felt as blithesome as the day . Oh , life is so good to live ! Tomorrow Uncle James 's new vessel , the White Lady , is to be launched . We are going to make a festive occasion of it , and I am to christen her with a bottle of cobwebby old wine . But I hear the carriage , and Aunt Jane is calling me . I had a great deal more to say -- about your letter , your big `` round-up '' and your tribulations with your Chinese cook -- but I 've only time now to say goodbye . You wish me a lovely time at the dance and a full programme , do n't you ? Yours sincerely , Sidney Richmond . Aunt Jane came home presently and carried away her sleeping baby . Sidney said her prayers , went to bed , and slept soundly and serenely . She mailed her letter the next day , and a month later an answer came . Sidney read it as soon as she left the post office , and walked the rest of the way home as in a nightmare , staring straight ahead of her with wide-open , unseeing brown eyes .
John Lincoln 's letter was short , but the pertinent paragraph XXXXX it burned itself into Sidney 's brain .
On as at before between beyond in of out to