Girls of the Forest

henever they moved. They made their presence felt when they spoke, when they sat down, and when they rose up. They were with them at dinner; they were with them whenever Miss T

ou prune the fruit trees. Don't you remember the time when John got a very good gardener from Southampton to come and look over our trees? The

, and hundreds of tiny pears, and a lot of lovely branches; and I began

t did he

, 'If I was your pa I'd do a little

a lau

id the pears were? And we had such heaps of apples; and the gooseberries and raspberri

de a sligh

ave an old aunt here without your turning into a mentor. We all know what you want to say, but please don't

I won't,"

his isn't Nancy King! Oh, welcome, N

sed to be in flourishing circumstances. Nancy was his only child. She had been sent to a fashionable school at Brighton, and considered herself quite a young lady. She came whenever she like

Muses. What's up now? I have heard m

r seat, ran up to the girl, and took her hand. "Come and sit here-

say to you. But, dear

t the equally neat costumes of the other girls. Then finally she gazed long and pensively at Penelope, w

"what has this nursery baby to d

"I'm schoolroom. Don't tell me I'm nursery, because I'm no

t half, nor quarter, as nice as you were when I saw you last. I've just come home for good, you know. I mean to have a jolly time at Margate by-and-by. And oh! my boy cousins and my two greatest chums

aid Verena. "We're not a bi

y old friends; and although you are as poor as church mice, you are quite a good sort. I have always said so-always. I've be

said Verena. "We are not

. "Oh, how hot it is! Pen, for goodness' sake r

lingly enough. Nancy

o us. We three girls at The Hollies, and my two boy cousins, Tom and Jack, have

d Verena. "But we can't

pense whatever. I'll stump up for the whole. Father gives me so much money that I have at the present moment over five pounds in the savings-bank. We will light fires in a clearing not far from here

oo lovely!" said Briar. "I'

en, you s

ould not hear of

; "we must go. It would

e eight girls wi

aid you'd be frumped up like anything, and all the gay life taken out of

" said Pauline. "All our time is occupied. Lessons b

id Nancy. "All the world has a ho

s we must begin at once. She is quite right, I'm sure; although of course we scarcely like it. An

I'm not bothered with any of them. Oh! here comes Pen. It's nonsense to have a child like that out of the nursery. We'd best not say anything before her. V

st go!" sa

g," said

ena was

eaf. How red your face

ooking girl, and by no means pretty. She snatch

ut! And what a stupid, good-for-nothing leaf you've brought! Fet

es flashed fire, an

I would jus

you would what

ow! And I'll

of the child. She danced backwards

fine," said Penelope;

ldren had not. It had been from her earliest days her earnest desire to curry favor with those in authority, and yet to act quite as naughtily as any one else when she thought no one was looking. Even when quite a tiny child Penelope was wont to sit as still as a mouse in nurse's presence. If

seful in the nursery, fairly tidy in her habits, and fairly helpful. But even nurse was wont to

e was promoted to the schoolroom, with its superior privileges and-alas! alas!-also its undoubted drawbacks. She, who hated lessons, must now try to read; she must also try to write, and must make valiant efforts to spell. Above and beyond all these things, she had to do one yet harder-she had to sit mute as a mouse for a couple of hours daily, with her hands neatly folded in her lap; and by-and-by she had to struggle with her clumsy little fingers to make hideous noises on the cracked old piano. These things were not agreeable to the wild child, and so uncomfortable and restrained had she felt during the first morning's lessons that she almost resolved t

her into trouble. I'll get them

igure as she stood thus in her short holland overall, her stout bare legs, brown as berries, slig

f. "Aunt Sophy shall find out that

he house. She found Miss Sophia sitting by her writing-table. Miss Sophia had a headache; teaching was not her

d a slightly cross person who t

he said; "and don't run into the r

ought for to know. I

ause of you,'

of you. I am very

you will prove your af

ds!" remark

at you said

bovver

derstand. Run away, no

or to know. Nanc

s Nanc

grand. She has gold bangles on her arms, and tinkling gold things round her neck, and she's here, and I thought course you ought fo

ot wish you to tell tales of your

disgust, not only with Nancy King and Miss T

me; but she don't seem to care for anybody. I'll just rush away to nursey this very minute and tell her how I love being a sch

," thought Miss Tredgold when

pen suspended,

e fear within me that occasions may arise when Penelope would prove deceitful. There! what am I saying? A motherless child-my own niece-surely I ought to love her. Yes, I do love her. I will try to love them all. What did she say about a girl sitting on the lawn with my girls? It is nice to talk of the Dales as my girls; i

gnified fashion came up to the secluded nook where the girls, with Nancy King in their midst, were enjoying themselves. They were all talking eagerly. Nancy King was seated

ancy! What sc

hed, Verena looked puzzled, and Pauline's expression se

ou all doing?" sudden

r heated brows. She had an instinctive feeling that she had never before seen any one so dignified and magnificent as Miss Sophia Tredgold. She knew that this was the case, although Miss Sophia's dress was almost dowdy, and the little

ould be a lady if she chose, "may

," interru

" repeated Verena. "We have know

Miss King?" sa

on," as she termed Miss Kin

ved? Will you all go quietly indoors?-Miss King, my nieces are beginning their studies

ect school-very; and now that I have left, I like to feel that I am accomplished. None of you girls can beat me on the piano. I know nearly all the girls' songs in San Toy and the Belle of New York. Father loves to hear me when

gold. "I am sorry, Miss King, to disturb a pleasant meeting, but my g

d her capacio

, I'm sure. Good-day, madam.-Good-bye, Renny. I'll look you up another

awkwardly, switching her shoulders and swaying fr

Miss Tredgold when she had watched the dep

ophia. We have known her a

since you were little children does not reply to my question. Who is she? Where does she come from? Who is her fat

gentlefolk,"

spoke. Her eyes were bright, and t

"She is the daughter of Farmer King, who keeps a very jolly house; and

nterposed Adelaide; "the juiciest you

, and I dislike its name," said Miss Soph

n them further. She

uch of this," whispe

nd clasped Briar's little

e and proceeded to th

se attention to lessons. I shall not stay in the room, but you, Verena, are monitress during my absence. Please understand that I expect honor. Honor requires that you should study, and that

t?" burst from the lips o

have a personal acquaintance with that gloomy country. Now far

had belonged to their father's family for generations. There was a time in the past when to be a Dale of The Dales meant to be rich, honored, and respected. But, alas! the Dales, like many other old families, had gone under. Money had failed; purses had become empty; lands had been sold; the house had dwindled down to its present shabby dimensions; and if Miss Tredgold had not appeared on the scene, there would have been little chance of Mr. Dale's ten daughters

how to spell, and what happened long, long

auline's angry thought. "Oh! must I really work out these

lish history. "Oh, dear! that midnight picnic, and Nancy's face, and the dancing in the glades of the Forest. It wou

hair. Pauline saw the movement, and a wave of sympathy flashed between the sisters. P

. Never before, too, had they been so hungry for tea; and certainly never before had they seen such a delightful and tempting meal as that which was now laid for them on the lawn. The new parlor-maid had brought it out and placed it on various little tables. A silver teapot reposed on a silver tray; the cups and sauce

thing of that sort. I will say there are some nice things about Aunt Sophia. This is certai

uline, "but, as you say, Briar, thi

took her seat opposite the hissing u

this place. At the end of that

ldn't!" sa

not, Renny? You ar

Pauline; they are distinctly

!" said

t used to constitute tea on many days when there was no Aunt Sophia came

s Tredgold had seen that each plate was piled with good things, and that ev

d to give you some pleasant information. I attended a tea-party last year in a

it is not lesso

ed down to the Thames. It was the property of a very great friend of mine, and she had invited what

scinating a picture that they almost wished to be present at such a scene as she described. She spoke of the girls of the London world in their pretty dresses, and the matrons in their richer garments;

ty; but rather stiff, w

not yet accustomed to self-restraint, but to those who b

Pauline; "and I should hate fe

you mean

you are putti

ulie!" sa

th me if I speak. I can't imagine any one getti

and looked with her downrigh

out presently. Perhaps you may not like it, but some people do. In your case there is no saying. To-morrow I will tell you another story, but it shall be of the graver and sadder side of life. That story will also intr

said

she knew exactly what was coming. Pauline mus

eated the

t the courtly grace, the sweet refinement, the elegant manners, the words that speak of due knowledg

id Verena slowly, "what y

r certain circumstances, you, to

s," sai

manners, and suitable dress would make you quite the sort of girl who would appear amongst my cultivated friends in th

rhaps be her wor

s. If the time comes when she is in need or in trouble, I should be deeply sorry to think you would not help her, but as a friend she is to cease to exist for you. This is my firm command to all of you girls. There are to be no two voices on the subject. You may not agree with me now, and you may think me hard, but I insist on having my own way. You