The Palace in the Garden

"Sisters and brothers, little maid, / How many may you be? "

I think the best beginning is the morning that grandpapa sent for us to come down to the study. Tib and Gerald, don't think so. They say I should begin by telling our names, and how old we were, and all that -- at least, Gerald says so; Tib isn't quite sure. Tib very often isn't quite sure. She has got too grand ideas, and if she were going to write a story, she would make it like poetry, very difficult to understand, and awfully long words, and lots about feelings and sorrows and mysteries. I like mysteries, too -- I think they are very interesting, and I _have_ one to tell about, as you will see, only I must tell it my own way, and after all, as this story is only to be read by Tib and Gerald -- and our children -- we have settled that when we are all three grown-up and married, and have children, it shall be made into a book for them -- I daresay it doesn't much matter how it is told.