The Daisy Chain

ween a hindra

DSW

mances in turn before her memory, to judge which might be brought down to sober pen and ink. She considered till it became not too unreasonably early to get up. It was dark, but there was a little light close to the window: she had no wri

d consult her. But this was not so easy. She found Margaret with li

rning, dear! you ar

Ethel, as the child w

, but she was tired of lying here, and

said Ethel, as she walked about with

claiming, "Latin grammar! Margaret, this is really too much for you. Good-morning, my dears. Ha! Tommy, take your book away, my boy. You must n

a?" said Margaret. "D

ugh, and a very romantic dream i

was it

ng man, hearing lectures at Edinburgh, and courting-" he stopped, and felt Margaret's pulse, asked her a few questions, a

Aunt Flora were there. 'Twas a regular boy's dream, a tournament, or something of that nat

to call us your Dais

d Margaret. "I think I once saw

he melee, a sense of being crushed down, suffocated by the throng of armed knights and horses-pain and wounds-and I looked in vain through the opposing overwhelming host for my-my Maggie. Well, I got the worst of it, my sword arm was broken-I fell, was stifled-crushed-in misery-all I could do was to grasp my token-my Dais

talked of eating and drinking," leaving Margaret with her e

tiful!" s

ort to him, I am su

nous," said Ethel with

t we all feel, is it not? that this little d

s victor at first-van

t in younger days people care for victory and distinction in this world, like Norman, or as papa most likely did then; but

distance to consult him! he is looked upon, too, in

es not sound grand-it is not

am so glad

e said he ought? He answered that he thought health and happy home attachm

u don't think the dream meant being beaten, only that ou

nd as a vision," said Margaret. "I th

y unlike the actual world she had to live in. First, there was a sick man walking into the study, and her father, laying down his lette

ent. "He is always saying so, but never acting on it.

n silence, cuttin

other ring,

a stream. I shall not keep Margaret waiti

temper to all but Tom, who obtained Richard's attention to his lessons. He liked to say them to his brother, and was an incentive to learn them quickly, that none might remain for Miss Winter when Richard went out with his father. If mamma had been there, she would have had prayers; but now no one had authority enough, though they did at last even finish breakfast. Just as the gig came to the door, Dr. May dismissed his last patient, rang the b

principles of grammar, from her Latin studies, chose to know the why and wherefore of his corrections-she did not like to see her pages defaced, and have no security

hat coeur must not be pronounced cour, nor cur, but something between, to which her rosy

hel's lesson wa

was gone. "I thought you had outgrown th

be learned without knowing the reas

renew it all, but I wish you would control yourself. Now,

te for her to derive her usual solace from Cube Root. Her sum was wrong, and she wanted to work it right, but Miss Winter, who had little liking for the higher branches of arithmetic, said she had spent time enough over it, and summone

te of the inve

itude and longi

component p

cochinea

s; the piece for to-day's lesson was the quarrel of Brutus and Cassius; and Mary's dull d

Mary, opening wide

erated language,-"

wanting to silence Miss Winter. In a cooler

not be a precedent for a young la

r. I can't bear to h

hall on

uck the

It is not what we wish for in a lady. You

ecked by Miss Winter's dry manner, producing pettishness, till Ethel, in a state between self-re

"I thought you would like to make up this old frock for one of the Cocksmoor children

nly Miss Winter

t wa

the midst of the narration of her grievances, when Norman came in. The school was half a mile off, but he

, sit down and rest. What is doing a

id the bo

r the verses?

m be

opt

re tame," Dr

ry doing?" s

his form. I left

at the door. "What wi

er. When he had brought the tray, he stood leaning against the bed-post, musing. Suddenly

Norman put them up again, but a ringing sound betrayed that it was not with a firm touch, and when,

are you sure

he, as if vexed that sh

e. I'm not worth inquiries now, I a

but this was not c

to lose your footb

-" and he st

up in his face with anxious affectionate eyes, but

nd though she had some doubts how affairs at home would go on without her, she was overruled,

se came in, saying, "If you please, Miss Margar

and smiled, while Margaret asked

or, but she is a nice, tidy, strong-looking gir

med bent upon taking this girl as a choice of her own. S

but if you think she wi

hem things yourself. If you please,

ur capital management, Flora; nurse

" said Flora, "coming from

h pleased with her, and there was no more to be done but to settle that she should come on Saturday, and to let nurse take her

to her for thinking of it, and how grieved at having been so ungrateful in the morning. She was very happy over her contrivances, cutting out under her sister's superinten

n to worry you," said Ethel,

Ethel; but I don't see clearly the best

ggested the possibility of a change, and having, as well as al

rgaret; "and dear mamma had such perfect trust in her, and we all k

anxious to make amends to Miss Winter. "I

hen she has been so very kind. It is a blessing to have any one

n fault," re

thought Miss Winter an excellent governess for the little ones, but hardly up to you, and she saw that you wor

ery room, when her mother had not been equal to the bustle of the whole school-room. That watchful, protecting, guarding, mother's love, a

I don't think it would be right by you or by Miss Winter, to

do that for

. Besides, King Etheldred," said Margaret, smiling, "we all know you are a little bit of a sloven, and, as nurse say

e formal and precise-you

leave you a slattern. We should both hate it so! No, don't make me your mistr

on't care half so much

r, and remember it is right in th

e you again. I know it is b

-"it is just what I wish on my own account, and

u, but I am sure you ar

sitting up longer than usual, and it is tire

with the other, she removed the pillows; but Ethel was conscious of her own awkwardness and want of observation, nor had Margaret entire trust in her. Still she was too much fatigued to wai

she might have said a great deal-she was not in a comfortable position-she must be moved. She shook her head-she had rather wait-there was a dread of being again lifted by Ethel that she could not entirely hide. Ethel was distressed, Dr. May was angry, and, no wonder, when he saw

to anything but her books! I've a great mind to put an e

she was grieving, she exclaimed, "Papa, papa,

best, indeed! If you had ta

et, much more harassed by the scolding than by the pain.

ain it, and continued to blame Ethel with enough of injustice to set her on vindication, whereupon he silenced her, by telling her she was making it worse by self-j

he right posture, but the pain would not immediately depart, and Dr. May soon found out

ort her by saying it was unfortunate, but no doubt there was a knack, and everyone could not manag

n arms when she went to wish her goodnight. "My poor Ethel," sh

bad of me-I am grieved; are

nice and quiet. Papa took up George Herbert, and has been reading me choice

py all the evening. I wish I knew what to

n. It will be a step if you will only put you

e about me, but put your clever head to rule your hands, and

hed Ethel-and just the

e's poor Ethel, not half re

t, and knew he had been harsh to

learn 'this is my right hand, and this is my le

y stupid,"

worse off than I am. If I have but on

an to tr

ave no one to smooth us down. I am sorry, my dear, but you must bear with me, for I never

they had given Margaret quite disturbance enough to-day, and sent her to bed, vowing t