The Pillars of the House; Or, Under Wode, Under Rode, Vol. 1 (of 2)

lope of orchar

, wrought with

dusky loaf tha

down, a past

pigeon, lark a

f the rock, wi

injellied; la

der from his

knew;-and so w

nys

t, the opposite side of which consisted of the long wall of a brewery, which was joined farther on to that of the stable-yard of the Fortinbras Arms, the principal hotel, which had been much frequented in old posting days, and therefore had offic

s to their parents; and on the other the Rectory garden, which separated them from the churchyard, now of course disused. It had no entrance towards their

d as a pottery, owing partly to the possession of large fields of a peculiar clay, which was so bad for vegetable growth, as to proclaim its destiny to become pots and pans, partly to its convenient neighbourhood to the rising seaport of Dearport, which was only an hour from it by railway. The old St. Oswald's school had been moulded un

ure of health rendered this impracticable, the positive evil of idleness was, he felt, greater than any possible ones that might arise from either the teaching or the associations of the town school, and he trusted to home influence to counteract any such dangers. Or perhaps more truly he dreaded lest his own reluctance might partly come from

their home, made their career brilliant and successful. Mr. Ryder was greatly pleased to have got the sons of a man whom he could not but adm

heir father in great enjoyment of their triumph, and likewise to communicate his confident certainty that they would do him and Bexley credit by obtaining the most notable scholarships of the University. Mr. Underwood was not a little delighted, grateful for the cordial sympath

, that each home should exercise its powers of count

still to be allowed

your castle, and the dungeon

how up my boys as tokens of God's blessing on their home, you are welcome

e quietest end of the town, was kept by two daughters of a former clergyman, well educated and conscientious women, whom she esteemed highly, and who gave

h increased by their having been honoured by the education of Miss Price. Seven governesses in succession had proved incapable of bearing with Lady Price; and the youn

inst Caroline Price, which went on the principle of requiting scorn with scorn; but Wilmet's motherly nature made her the centre of attraction to all the weak and young, and her uprightness bore many besides herself through the temptation to little arts. Both siste

eginner, and the mother's eyes filled with

't it be Alda instead of Wilmet? We do always want

a want the aid of an elder daughter? And the mother would almost have asked that Alda might be the chosen governess pupil, if Mr. Underwood had not said, 'No, my dear, M

ternative, to say, 'I'll be no

se to hear her spelling and her tables, that she might not fulfil Edgar's prediction by going down

e are one an

e are two a

ch them the more they are willing to learn.' The mother shook her head, and said the the

vehicle. A grand pack it was: first, the precious hamper; then a long sofa-cushion, laid along the bottom; then Geraldine lifted in by Sibby and Felix, and folded up with shawls, and propped with cushions by Mamma, whose imagination foresaw more shaking than did the more youthful anticipation; then Mamma herself, not with 'little baby,' but with Angela on her lap, and Angela's feet in all manner of unexpected places; t

hereupon vociferous 'me toos' resounded from within the curtains; and the matter was compounded on ride and tie principles, in

as and rows of little ten-pound houses-the children's daily country walk, poor things!-the two

erself a peep-hole between the curtains. 'I am so sick of all those dusty b

ers, nursemaids, perambulators, and children. It was all a perfect feast to the long-imprisoned eyes, and the more charming from the dreamy silence in which she gazed. When Felix came up to the slit through which the bright eyes gleamed,

nery that drove the young folk half mad with delight, and made them scream to be let out and gather-gather to their hearts' content.

, like other inhabitants of Bexley, had from time to time enjoyed themselves in the Park; but to-day th

pread over the in

added the gatekeeper's wife, coming out;

ces, and saw lips quivering, and eyes gazing wistfully into the paradise of green shade, and added, '

tial argument, for 'Oh, certainly, sir,' at once followed; and the van was a

heather and ling, shrieking with delight. Wilmet had enough to do to watch over Angela in her toddling, tumbling felicity; while Felix, weighted with Robina on his back, Edgar,

lowers to Cherry, and to play with little Angela. Mr. Audley had gone to put up his horse at the village inn, and did not join the party again till they had reached what the children called Pic-nic Hollow-a spot

he hampers unpacked by Mamma and Wilmet, among much capering and dancing of the rest of the family, and numerous rejected volunteers of assist

countenance, and as Mr. Audley came up, touched him to direct his attention to the child's expression; but the outcry of welcome with which the rest greeted the new-comer was too much for even Cherry's trance, and she was a merry child at once, hungry with unwont

e other boys were laughing at Robina for her utter

s and wings, and their long necks ha

a robin-redbrea

sts, because they covered the p

e?' said Mr. Audley; but as soon as she found that

from your own home? a

is a Hamburg or a Houdan, or a more unambitious Dorki

a new experience, you see, Audley, and we may make a curious study of contrasts-not of Audley

ugh it did not pass her quiet lips. It was to her that he answered, 'Yes, my dear-Tom

hispered Alda to Felix. 'Oh, I hope

man's name is Fulbert. Lis

d could just, in the plenitude of my presumption, extend a little conceited patronage to that unlucky dunce, Tom Underwood, the lag of every form, and thankfu

u so much better as you

? Shouldn't you like me better if I were buying

in his face with a whole soul of negation in her wis

me over him, and he turned an

ld be horrid not to be a clerg

but'-and she pressed her hands tightly together as she looked at the thin worn faces of her parents-'

half-serious quaintness that vexed her, and

voice, 'How can you be all

, pursued his experiment. 'Eh, Felix, you

father could not content himself without continuing in a semi-teasing tone, 'Don't care-eh? Why, this Centry Underwood once belonged to our fa

ke in Felix,

shoulder; 'if one man got on in life, another may. If one onl

mself, half to his wife. 'It is not safe, my gentle Enid, to try such experiments.

aughter, 'Lance thought you were wante

se!' shouted Lan

ad made a scientific discovery, 'did the goo

ne,' said Mr. Underwood; while his colleague gravely answered, 'Yes,

! It has got a long neck a

, you little goose you

, replenishing the boy's plate with that delicious pie. 'Wh

t of Mr. Audl

y gifts that produced unlimited eatables.

da, 'we only once made co

elix Chester Underwood, your good health; and th

e him, Papa?

the gratification, no d

you call on

of a woman, or I'll make a libation of it all. Audley, it must have wrung your father's butl

was to meet a gentleman who

'What right had you to know that I

he did, that there were three more such bottles in the straw at the bottom of the hamper. And when baby Angela had clasped her fat hands, and, as 'youngest at the board,' 'inclined the head and p

boys, have a swing! there's a branch too good not to be used

d fern hunting, the drawing, the racing and shouting, the

d forks; and then the mother, taking Angela with her, went to negotiate kettle-boiling at the cottage. Geraldine would fain have sketched, but the glory and the beauty, and the very lassitude of delight and novelty, made her eyes swim with a delici

ures, which somehow died away into the sleepiness due to their previous five-mile walk. Felix went quite off, lying flat on his back, with his head on Cherry's little spreading lilac cotton frock, and his mouth wide open, much tempting Edga

ted Geraldine. 'Dear old Fee, when

e to have thought of,' said Edgar. ''Tis a

a said-that he is the greatest loser of us all. I wonde

arliament-plenty of wits and brains-only he wants to be put on a shelf to be got at. Wherever he is, he'll g

siastic voice was raised. 'Edgar lifting us al

d at dinner,' explained Cherry. '

wished he hadn't,' said

little ruffled at even F

aving things put

n't want to chan

did not understand. The change he saw that hard

t to be born a great swell, but only a poor gentleman, is that so much is open

you have once got a scholarship, ther

scholarship,

e had the most extraordinary ill-luck besides! Now, as Ryder says, any man with brains can shine. And I am

ust then Wilmet was seen peering a

' asked her father. 'Which of y

sly. 'She was swinging just now, but nei

retending to spy among the branches. 'Fl

ood in the glade, and with them a girl newly come to her teens,

ood: 'I am sure you are v

d I'm sure there must be a very naughty boy here. He ha

ed about it!' screamed Lance and Robina at onc

r-monkeys,'

ther,' said Lance, 'and was trying to

ively, 'and they had lost their way; but they told me who

hands with her, thanked her,

told me I might stay in the house, or roam where I liked, and I s

two of us! Well, we are obliged for the introdu

ds with me,' continued Mary A

said Mr. Underwood. 'A

around her; 'and it is very horrid-oh dear! who

met and Alda,' he said. 'Come, girls, and see your new

t to be Marilda all in one word, because she says it is more

tline, and a coarseness in the colouring, that made her like a bad drawing of one of his own girls; the eyes were larger, the red of the cheeks was redder, the lips were thicker, the teeth were irregular; the figure, instead of being what the French call élancé, was short, high-shouldered, and thick-set, and the head looked too large. She was over-dressed, too, with a smart hat and spangled feather, a womanly silk mantle and much-trimmed skirt, from which a hea

et me introduce you; here is our little lame white-hearted Ch

irst greeting, as she put her hand in her

've got a needle an

apt to tear themselves, so

ease show me, and let me do it. I tried to tear the nasty thing off, but it

at us?' said Wil

lda, or Mary Alda, eagerly. 'If yo

at

the drawing-room. Then Grandmamma Kedge tells me how she used to run about in pattens, and feed the

d Wilmet; 'and we

is family property; and I hope he will, for they will never be able to screw me u

ld, Marilda. We never tell Papa

arling might have

amily is made up of mi

aller still! What a little duck

at,' said Wilmet-'Bernard,

names!' cried Ma

n them all her life. She shared their tea, and wanted Mr. Underwood to come and see her father at the house; but as s

ed kisses and auguries of many future meetings; so that the children looked down a vista of unlimited enjo