The town in New York where they lived proving to be too small,
narrow, and bigoted to hold a developing soul like Mrs. Grubb's, she
persuaded her husband to take passage for California, where the
climate might be supposed more favourable to the growth of saving
ideas. Mr. Grubb would, of course, be obliged to relinquish his
business, but people could buy and sell anywhere, she thought, and as
for her, she wanted nothing but unlimited space in which to expand.
There was money enough for an economical journey and a month or two
of idleness afterwards; and as Mrs. Grubb believed everything in the
universe was hers, if she only chose to claim it, the question of
finances never greatly troubled her. They sailed for the golden
West, then, this ill-assorted couple, accompanied by Mrs. Grubb's
only sister, who had been a wife, was now a widow, and would shortly
become a mother. The interesting event occurred much sooner than had
been anticipated. The ship became the birthplace of the twins, who
had been most unwelcome when they were thought about as one, and
entirely offensive when found to be two. The mother did not long
survive the shock of her surprise and displeasure, and after naming
the babies Atlantic and Pacific, and confiding them distinctly to the
care of Mr.
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