Hetty Wesley

seated. The eldest, a woman of thirty-three, held a book open in her lap and was reading aloud from it; reading with admirable expression and a

the evening sun. Across the field below, hemmed about and intersected with dykes of sluggish water, two wagons moved slowly, each with a group of labourers about it: for to-night was the end of the oat-harvest, and they were carrying the last sheaves of Wroote glebe. After the carrying would come supper, and the worn-

. But this was a fixed belief of Molly's. She was a cripple, and in spite of features made almost angelic by the ineffable touch of goodness, the family as a rule despised her, teased her, sometimes went near to torment her; for the Wesleys, like many other people of iron constitution, had a healthy i

d never be persuaded to see a joke; and Kezzy, a lean child of fifteen, who had outgrown her strength. By baptism, Molly was Mary; Hetty, Mehetabel; Nancy, Anne; Patty, Martha; and Kezzy, Kezia. But the register recording most of these names had perished at Epworth in the Parsonage fire, so let us keep the fam

nd virtue equa

ll, on dung

he stones their

hatred steadfas

rstand. Half a century before, a Dutchman, Cornelius Vermuyden by name, had arrived and drained their country for them; in return they had cursed him, fired his crops, and tried to drown out his settlers and workmen by smashing the dams and laying the land under water

and her cheeks drank them in as potable gold clarifying their blood- made Nancy's seem but a dairymaid's complexion. Add that this colouring kept an April freshness; add, too, her mother's height and more than her mother's grace of movement, an outline virginally se

ia r

general mother

attraction

ender, half-e

ther; half her

s, under the

tresses hid;

eauty and sub

superior lov

, when he impr

owers), and pres

ure. Aside th

t with jealo

e; and to himsel

l, sight torm

fiercely Hetty had gripped her wr

th's the mat

ked Patty, whose min

hitelamb

wered her, cool in a

y dear; 'tis the ol

mean, Hetty?

worried itself to a sun-stroke, it has now gone into the house to write at a commentary on the Book of Job, to be illustrated with cuts, fo

all it very disrespectful to compare him with Sata

rs (whom I imitate) sometimes use comparisons for the sake of contrast. Satan, you heard, eyed our first parents

d Eve an

he river

Eve wer

ou think was

lia withdrew into her book in dudgeon. "Hetty, dear! I cannot b

ask your pardon and must try to amend. You are right. I was flippant; you might even have s

never to su

se not to be o

voice, Emmy, and purge us

"I am not conscious of being a rebel

ance at Hetty: but it was

xt week! You must allow her to practise the accomplishments which will endear her to the servants' hall, and which Mr. Grantham will pay for and expect. Indeed-since Milton is denied us-I have some lines here; a petition to be handed to m

ng-maid's Petiti

ou were once in

akes is pl

ad ne'er c

a word in t

sour-looked

distresse

lgently-she was safely betrothed to one John Lambert, an honest land-surveyor, and Mr. Wesley's tyranny towards

events," she persisted, "about papa's being in the house, for I saw him

said Kezzy, "and poor Sander will

do not quarrel!" sighed E

r but would send Sander instead: for whatever news she brought he would have picked holes in it and wrangled all the way home. But this is his masterpiece. It contrives to get the most annoyance out of both plans. I often wonde

e hour?" as

anced at

a few min

We will give her a regal harvest-supper, and enthrone her on the last sheaf. I

apped he

eneas, till the break of morning. But before we bid Johnny Whitelamb desist from drawing and build

he has no money to buy

gold. He should come to us along the Bawtry road in a palanquin with bells jingling at the fringes. Ann, sister

e do, and why mother goes ill-clothed and sometimes hungry. No, I am not grumbling; but sometimes I wish to know-only to know! I think my mirror would tell me something about my brothers, and what they are to do in the world

re to possess one was as notorious in the family as her absolute lack of ear for music-"and Emmy wi

y. "A moment ago it was Blue Beard, and now it

th that she glanced up as a shadow darkened the golden sky above the mo