Esther

epossessed with the Thorne

ice was loud, and she was full of words, and rat

iet face under the neatly-trimmed bonnet, I could see Mrs. Thorne fell in love with it at once. She scarcely looked at or spoke to me, except when civility demanded it; and perhaps she was right, for who would care to look at me when Carrie was by? Then Carrie played, and I knew her exquisite touch would demand instant admiration. I was a mere bungler, a beginner beside her; she even sang a charming litt

ese young ladies think of you, Belle, if they look at your dirty pinafore? Mine are such troublesome children," she continued, in a co

with Carrie for a few minutes. They were certainly very unattractive children; neverthe

er fat arms in her pinafore. She was less plain t

sed himself when he could not get off his couch for weeks; and as I warmed and grew eloquent with my subject, their eyes became round and fixed, and a sor

rrie re-entered the room. They both looked surprised when they saw the children grouped round me; Carri

think of such manners?" And then she dismissed them rather summarily. I

ed to Carrie. "On Monday, then. Please give my kind regards to Dr. Cameron, and tell him how thoroughly satisfied

foot-steps away from the house. "Never mind Jack, I am going to the service at St. B

ow how Jack has been neglected, and how I have promised Allan t

e self-willed sometimes. "I must talk to you, Esther; I must tell you how I hate it. Fancy trying to hammer French

eldom cried or gave way to any emotion. "Why would you not let me speak? I might have saved you this. I might have off

, Esther. Don't think me vain if I say t

ter," I interposed. "

or Allan and I studied that together); "you can lay a solid foundation, as Uncle Geoffrey says; but Mrs. Thorne does not care about that," continued Carrie

e work given us to do, it must be a useful life-work. It might be our duty to make artificial flowers for o

I hate. I will do my best for those dreadful children, Esther. Are they not pitiful little overdressed creatures? And I will try and please their mother though I have not

ly, for there was a flaw in her speech

o my arm with a kind pressure. "See, here is St. Barnabas;

rare est orare-to labor is to pray, in my

fingers, and then she had a way of jerking her hair out of her eyes, which drove me nearly frantic. I began to think we really must send her to school. We had done away with the folding doors, they always creaked so, and had hung up some curtains in their stead; through the folds I could catch glimpses of dear mother l

time, "I cannot have you kick th

yes. "You are not quite well, Esther; you have

as cross as possible, only just at that moment Uncle Geoffrey put his h

too hot for work, isn't it? I think I must give you a holiday, for I want Esther to go out with me." Uncle Geoffrey's wishe

d, with a severe look at the culprit; and Jack jerke

ve you been up to? Giving E

on the copy-book because Esther said I wasn't to do it; and my hair got in my eyes; and William the Conqueror had six wives, I know he had; and I told Esther she had

the Conqueror had six wives, had he? Come, this is capital; we must send you to school, Jack, that is what we must do. Esther cannot

f the room to give me a penitent hug-that was so like Jack; the

we walked up the High street, followed by Jumble

Smedley. Where on earth has the girl picked him up?" And there, true enough, was Carrie, standing in the porch,

ot know why the sight displeased me, for of course she had a right to speak to her clergyman. Uncle Geoffrey whistled under his breath, and t

with a little beating of the heart. The Lucas

ty cottage somewhere by the seaside; they were Uncle Geoffrey's

t his wife about a year ago, and his sister had come to live with him and take care of his motherless child. What a chance this would have been for Carrie! but now it was too late. I

little keenly, I thought. He was younger than I expected; it flashed across me suddenly that I had once seen his poor wife. I was standing looking out of the window one cold winter's day, when a carriage drove up to the door with

formidable, the sort of man who would be feared as well as respected by his dependants. He had the character of being a very reserved man,

o the drawing-room. Its size and splendor did not diminish my fea

rden. I had a glimpse of the lawn, with a grand old cedar in the middle, before my eyes were attracted to a lady in

s such a little woman-slightly deformed, too-with a pale, sickly-looking face, and large, clear eyes, that seemed to attract

I almost looked down on h

uch a sweet tone that it quite won my heart. "Your

put me at my ease as soon as possible. I flushed a little at that, and my unfortunate sensitiveness took alarm. If it were only Carrie, I thought, with her pretty face

hat unlucky blush. "She is a good girl, and very industrious, and her mother's right hand," went on

lieve she could not find any compliment compatible with truth. I once told her so mo

ur great eyes were looking at me in such a funny, frightened way, and the corners of your mouth all coming down, I thought you were five-an

eech in rather a dispirited way. Reliable! I knew I was that; when all

sister-in-law and her family are really settled in your house? You must let me know when

st have been that I smiled; but I never could have passed that

eel to help and lighten his burdens. When Dr. Cameron proposed your services for my little niece-for he knows what an invalid I am, and that systematic te