The Clever Woman of the Family

refuse the

l, patie

t for some

high to pro

con l'antica R

kind in the

you like it! She so enj

o her; but if you are consulted for my next birthday present,

l dear, she will be pl

is beautiful in itself, and shows how well nature can be imitated; but it is meant for

Rac

y dear, resign yourself! There is nothing more unbecoming

ite young girls now," said Grac

s the maiden sisters of Avonmouth, husband and

," quoth Grace, placing on her sist

utting up her hands and tossing her

ear, let it stay till the mother has been in, and

lently assume our immunities, and she will

me dread of immunities, and aware that Rachel's si

acid-looking lady entered, dressed in black, with

d horse at any emotion, full pouting lips, round cheeks glowing with the freshest red, eyes widely opened, dark deep grey and decidedly prominent, though curtained with thick black lashes. The glossy chestnut hair partook of the redundance and vigour of the whole being, and the roses hung on it gracefully though not in congruity with the thick wi

u will oblige me by not wearing that black la

de it, mother, and it was very

t off their hands; but now it is paid for, it can't make muc

do credit to the makers. I wonder whether they cost them as dear in health as lace

use I thought they would suit either of the silks you have now,

ousing from her reverie. "It is an affectation

relief in at that moment filed the five maids, the coa

the ground floor with all the appliances of an ancient schoolroom. Rather dreamily she

or country reeks with vice and corruption, and that there is one cry for workers with brains and with purses! And here am I, able and willing, only longing to task myself to the uttermost, yet tethered down to the merest mockery of usefulness by conventionalities. I am a young lady forsooth!-I must not be out late, I must not put forth my views; I must not choose my acquaintance, I must be a mere helpless, useless being, growing old in a ridiculous fiction of prolonged childhood, affecting those graces of so-called sweet seventeen that I never had-because, because why? Is it for any better reason than because no mother can bear to believe her daughter no longer on the lists for matrimony? Our dear mother does not tell herself that this is the reason, but she is unconsciously actuated by it. And I

er, a letter from Fanny herself for you. Make

rry to the drawing-room, and tear open the

, but is fast recovering, and was to sail b

ce, see that the nurs

nts us to take a furnished house for her to come int

e notice in the w

o and see abo

poor dear Fanny thinks of coming anywher

children. You would find them too much for you, dear mother. It is

koning long ago. I only know they are a

feared that was the reaso

very healthy, I am thankful to say; and I am now so much better, that the doctor says I may sail next week. Major Keith has taken our cabins, in the Voluta, and soon after you receive this, I hope to be showing you my dear boys. They are such good, affectionate fellows; but I am afraid they would be too much for my dear aunt, and our party is so la

she seems but a

g no trouble or care on you; Fanny Temple is my charge from henceforth. My mission has come to seek me," she added as she qui

year, as absolutely one with her cousins, until she was summoned to meet her father at the Cape, under the escort of his old friend, General Sir Stephen Temple. She found Colonel Curtis sinking under fatal disease, and w

that was known of her was a general impression that she had much ill-health and numerous children, and was tended like an infant by her bustling mother and doting husband. More than half a year back, tidings had come of the almost sudden death of her mother; and about three months subsequently, one of the officers of Sir Stephen's staff had written to announce tha

look down from their crag at the new esplanade with pity and contempt for the ruined loneliness of the pebbly beach; and as Mrs. Curtis had not health to go often into society, she had been the more careful where she trusted her daughters. They belonged to the county by birth and tradition, and were not to be mixed up with the fleeting residents of the watering-place, on whom they never called, unless by special recommendation from a mutual friend; and the few permanent inhabitants chanced to be such, that a visit to them was in some degree

h the ordinary course of unambitious feminine life, Rachel had thrown herself into the process of self-education with all her natural energy, and carried on her favourite studies by every means within her reach, until she considerably surpassed in acquirements and reflection all the persons with whom she came in freq

g up to heaven from a world of sin and woe. The examples of successful workers stimulated her longings to be up and doing, and yet the ever difficult question between charitable works and filial deference necessarily detained her, and perhaps all the more because it was not so much the fear of her mother's authority as of her horror and despair, that withheld her from the decisive and eccentric steps that she was always feeling impelled to take. Gentle Mrs. Curtis had never been a visible power in her house, and it was through their desire to avoid paining her that her government had b

for herself ought to be assumed. Something to do was her cry, and on this very day that something seemed to be cast in her way. It was not ameliorating the condition of

emakers by day, became almost secondary. In due time the arrival of the ship was telegraphed, a hurried and affectionate note followed, and, on a bright east-windy afternoon, Rachel Curtis set forth to take up her mission. A telegram had announced the arrival of the Voluta, and the train which would bring the travellers to Avonchester. The Homeste

ildered. Doors opened, but gentlemen alone met her disappointed eye, until close to her a soft voice said, "Rachel!" and she saw a figure in deep black close to her; but her hand had been hardly clasped bef

thank you. You will come

w," was echoed

in good han

and see us; run on with Coombe." This last was a respectable military-looking servant, wh

ating himself into the carriage, and being borne off. Then came a chorus-"Mamma, let me g

ats, a pair in pelisses, besides the thing in arms. When the fly had been nearly crammed, the two knickerbockers and one pelisse remained for the carriage, quite against Rachel's opinion, but "Little Wilfre

r, no sign of wear and tear, climate, or exertion, only the widow's dress and the presence of the great boys enhancing her soft youthfulness. The smile was certainly changed; it was graver, sadder, tenderer, and only conjured up by maternal affec

t the Major

n come, I ho

Rachel a strong ant

le the two boys were each accommodated with a window; but each moment they were claiming their mother's attention, or rushing across the ladies' feet to ea

eyes, apparently ignorant that Rachel's toes were less insensible than he

ght Rachel, "I should have been less

men had tired themselves into quiescence, and began to eat the p

summons to look out at "home," and every word between them

t of the long grey line; "it is hard to believe we ha

re come to your own home, f

jor Keith said so," indig

miling, half-sobbing. "The Major says I need not be a poor creatu

suming to call herself a poor creature-Conrade gl

of a small building in early-decorated style, new, but somewhat stained by sea-wind, without having as yet acquired the tender ti

were turning in a pepper-box lodge. The boys were told that they were arrived, and they were at th

fred shrieked out in an access of shyness at Grace's attempt to make acquaintance with him; Francis was demanding, "Where's the orderly?" and Conrade looking brimful of wrath at any one who made his mother cry. Moreover, the fly had arrived, and the rema

y that the little ones should be rested and fed, and she responded with semi-comprehending thanks, while moving on with her youngest in her arms, and as

soothings and persuasions, till the door was shut on the younger half of the family, and those who could not

tes by her uplifted hand and gentle hush, Grace saw her mother so stunned and bewildered that she rejoiced in the fear of cold that had decided that Rachel alone should spend the evening there. Fanny made some excuses; she longed to see more of her aunt, but when they were a little more settled,-and as a fresh shout broke out

t to reflect on her mission, while the boys' feet cantered up and down the hou

o sleep in strange beds without long persuasions and comfortings, till Fanny looked so weary that it was plain that no conversation could have been

etter than the day before, and her sweet, soft welcome was most cordial and clinging. "Dear Rachel, it is like a dream to have you s

ack in your old home, under our wing. I have a

s; tha

red two or t

and just then in burst two boys. "Mamma, nurse won't undo

ed duck-bill, and

et you shout so loud about it, and

ed to the charge. "Please order nurse to unpack i

l," said Fanny, "I wil

acked the box herself, whilst Rachel was deciding on the ter

ou have been le

ot give way to those children too much; they

, thin young clergyman he was, of a nervous manner, which, growing mor

pay my respects at once to any new parishioner-r

us smile and manner that would have made him more at ease at once, if

said, "so-so

ll; it is quite a home to me, so

e great cha

etter," said Fanny, smilin

m improvements than they eff

," said Mr. Touchett, looking

a dozen boys and

sh contour of the gentle face, then cast down his eyes as if

I am sure you will be kind enough to give yo

loured up, and with a sort of effort at self-assertion, blurted out, "As the clergyman of the parish-," and there halted, and was beginning to look foolish, when Lady Temple to

s quite himself again. "I shall have the

en victual system," began Rac

er to break it off by any means in her power; and though Mr. Touchett was not much at his ease with the little boy, this discussion was staged off. But again Mr. Touchett made bold to say that in case Lady Temple wished for a daily governess,

ind

," said the perp

ase you were wishing for some one, that

eal with little boys," said Rachel. "In fact, I th

lull, the uppermost necessity was of explaining about the servants who had been hired for the time, one of whom was a young woman whose health had given way over her lace pillow, and Rachel was eloquent over the crying evils of the system (everything was a system with Rachel) that chained girls to an unhealthy occupation in their ear

t to help the poor things,

r out the remnant of a life consumed upon these cobwebs of vanity.

s. "Lace and lacemakers are facts," continued Rachel; "but if the middle men were exploded, and the excess of workers drafted off by

a great up

, dear Rachel," an

r home-cares, entered the room a quarter of an hour after; "po

infants, and there was a whole court of brothers vying with one another in picking up her constantly dropped toys, and in performing antics for her amusement. R

s, and found Lady Temple as grateful and submissive as ever, except that, when advised to take Myrtlewood

im think we sh

t it might not agree

learning? Why, the proportion of ozone in the air here h

her scared, "there is no place like Avonmouth, and I

he to do with

wished-" mu

ways settles our head-quarters, and no o

to the next item, where her eager acceptance of all that was prescribed to h

tever he was doing, his keen, black eye was always turning in search of her, he was ever ready to spring to her side to wait on her, to maintain her cause in rough championship, or to claim her attention to himself. Francis was thick-set, round-shouldered, bullet-headed and dull-eyed, in comparison, not aggressive, but holding his own, and not very approachable; Leoline, thin, white-cheeked, large-eyed and f

t, leaning on Rachel's arm, and smiling pleased though sad recognition of the esplanade, the pebbly beach, bathing machines and

fter a few paces she paused to rest with a sigh that brought Conrade to her side, when she put her arm round his

ttle steep lawn at the grey sea, the line of houses following the curve of the bay, and straggling up the valley in

s, with an ungracious shiver. "I shall

come, mamma?"

d daughter, they clung to each other-more able to sympathize, more trul

scarcely altered apartments. Only one had been much changed, namely, the schoolroom, which had been stripped of the kindly old shabby furniture that Fanny tenderly recollected,

dear old room-do you not

rk here,"

ple look for that w

ent," said Rachel; "now I trust to make my preparation availabl

box?"-in obedience to a curio

dispensary,

e weak and nervous, and I h

homoe

r prejudice. There, this globule is the very thing for your case; I made it out last nigh

that Mr. Frampton should look at him; but Rachel was not to be eluded, and was in full career of elucidation to the meanest capacity, when a sharp skirmish between the boys en

sence of the boys would have hindered confidence, even had they not incessantly occupied their mother. Conrade, indeed, betook himself to a book, but Francis was only kept out of mischief by his constantly turn

d Fanny, "if there is any one here

uch better at school, and I would form th

n imploring tone, "and the Major said I need not part with

ace, "and he told me he had d

t Virgil. The Major said it would not be of much use at school, as there was no dictionary; but that the discipline an

raction she enunciated, "I could undertake the next pair of boys

ed up like a mother

ionate, dear boy, and they are both always good with me.

, poor little fellow

thers," said Fanny. "What Major Keith recommended was a govern

I do not approve of encouraging young women to c

wn eyes, and awaited

, who wishes to gain her own livelihood, must needs become a governess? A nursery maid must have a vocation, but an edu

n much to be pitied," said Fanny, fi

d groove? We must prevent the market from being

ed Fanny, surprised at the pro

s, sometimes indulged in a little fun, which Rachel would affably

and why should not others? Do you not agree with me, Fanny, that f

nice if they would

e responsibility of incompetently educating! I declare that to tempt a person into the offi

re and be experienced, only she most be kind to the poor boys. I wanted the M

her aunt. "A gentleman, an officer,

s manage whate

nce towards her mother, and saw h

the people at the Cliff Cottages are going awa

liams?" exclaimed Rachel. "A regular eruption of the T

ry well. I believe they are very respectable young women, poor

asked

the numerous ladies whose mission is that curatolatry in

pets," said Grace, "except that he knew

ions, and if what Fanny wants is a commonplace sort of upper nursemaid, I dare say it would do." An

ff, but they lost everything through some speculation of their brother. I believe he fled the country under some terrible suspicion of dishonesty; and though no one th

mple. "I should very much like t

s. Curtis. "She wanted to engage Miss Williams permanently, but could not induce h

her, Grace?

Rachel does not fancy that set, you see. I meet the other at the Sunday school, I like

tle mauve book!"

ou go, don't you, Rachel? H

we have tried," sai

acks, all disappointments in ourselves, it is

would satisfy me, and that poor governess ought to feel the same. Think of the physical reaction of body on mind, and tell me if you could have the barbarity o

s her, and hinders h

ear, nothing would so predispose her to be cross as

s. Curtis; "I wish he would no

ing had turned round. "When all the men of a regiment chant together

it," said Rachel, "bu

d not talk about

ot understand the state

! Oh, I

the church we sighed for had made the place all we sighed to see it, and

ng?" asked F

, and could help out his bad health with a curate. But first he went to Madeira, and then he died, and there we are, a perpetual curacy of ￡70 a year, no resident gentry but ourselves, a fluctuating population mostly sick, our poor demoralized by them, and either crazed by dissent, or heathenized by their former dista

d up prepar

s not born a gentleman, and his mi

to prejudice Fanny; I am sure t

calling the ideal Angl

quite gentlemanl

l, "just so like as to delight the born cu

" asked Fanny, hardly compre

ding some playfullness. "A mother of contract

ntle young widow, terrified, "but the Major said if I

All that is requisite is good sense and firm

sibility of all those dear fatherless bo

ons, and their love and deference for their mother. Rachel, shocked and distressed at the effect of her sense, retired out of the conversation, till at the announcement of the carriage for Lady Temple, her gentle cousin cheered up, and feeling herself to blame for having grieved one who only meant aid and kindness, came to her and fondly kissed her forehead, saying, "I am not vexed, dear Rachel, I know you are right. I am not clever enough to bring them up properly, but if I try hard, and pray fo

, and had gone to London to "see about it," by which word poor Fanny expressed all the business that her maintenance depended on. If an old general wished to put a major in temptation, could he have found a better means of doing so? Rachel even thought that Fanny's incapacity to understand business had made her mistake the terms of the bequest, and that Sir Stephen must have secured his property to his children; but Fanny wa

hel, a little humbly, "but oh!

otland to see his brother. He and his brother were the only survivors of a large family, and he had been on foreign service for twelve years, so that it would be very selfi

it advisable to bring themselves as little into notice as possible; but fate was sure to pursue them sooner or later, for Rachel had come down resolved on testing their acquirements, and deciding on the method to be pur

t be done at present, let us see about the

d Fanny, hesitating; "we had

written to me f

afraid you will think them very backward, dear Rachel, especially Francie; but it is not

to be a strange

out upon the lawn, and in her clear voice called "Conrade, Francis!" No answer. She called "Co

ed, and coming to the window with a call that seeme

ung gentlemen, their black garments considerably

and get yourselves brushed, and wash your hands,

ste of time; but she was answered, and with rather surprised eyes, that they had nev

hel; "I never could enter into the cult some peo

their not coming to sit down untidy," said F

ette at any time; and the present was made to consume so much time that, u

Mrs. Marcet's "Little Willie." The other three-one was unaccounted for, but Cyril had torn up the second, and Francis ha

t books, mamma," said Conrade, putting his ha

of books you ought to have," returned R

ed Conrade, "we can't do

says, my dear; she wants to fin

t me exa

she pushed her chair back; he came after her.

oth Conrade. "When Dr. M'Vicar examines

s she had worked much at schools, and was really an able and spirited teacher, liking the occupation; and laying hold of the first book in her way, she requested Conrade to read. He obeyed, but in such a detestable gabble that she looked up appealingly to Fan

dreadful place, Fanny, you n

will see about your

oachman down to inq

d the Major always chooses

"You know I have been out four times with the staf

is wanted now,

ere he turned dogged and indifferent, made a sort of feint of doing what he was told, but whether she tried him in arithmetic, Latin, or dictation, he made such ludicrous blunders as to leave her in perplexity whether they arose from ignorance or

p

as if he knew better; which performance broke up the seance, with a resolve on her part that when she had the books she would not be so beaten. She tried Francis, but he really did know next to n

ition was imposing on the boys a sort of sense of fate and obedience, and there was less active resistance, though learning it was not, only letting teaching be thrown at them. All the rest of the day, except those two hours, they ran wild about the house, garden, and beach-the latter place under the inspection of Coombe, whom, since the "Jolly Mariner" proposal, Rachel did not in the least trust; all the less when she heard that Major Keith, whose soldier-servant he had originally been, thought very highly of him. A call at Myrtlewood was formidable from the bear-garden sounds, and delicate as Lady Temple was considered to be, unable to walk or bear fatigue, she never appeared to be incommoded by

f her life is yet to

not," sa

in their lives; only superior ones are exempt. But I hope I may have influence enough to c