A Red Wallflower

with his success. In his room, over Latin and botany, at her own home, over history and the boxes of coins, he and Esther daily spent a

He had half expected that when the novelty was off the pleasure of study would be found to falter; but it was no such matter. Esther studied as honestly as if she had been a fifth form boy at a good school; with a delight in it which boys at school, in any form, rarely bring to their work. She studied absorbedly, eagerly, persistently; whatever pleasure she might get by the way, she was plainly bent on learning; and she learned of course fast. And in the botanical studies they carried on together, and in the historical studies which had the coins for an illumination, the child showed as keen enjoyment as other girls of her age are wont to feel in a story-book or in games and plays. Of games and plays Esther knew nothing; she had no young companions, and never had known any; her intercourse had been almost solely with father and mother, and now only the father was left to her. She would have been in danger of growing morbid in her sorrow and loneliness, and her whole nature might have been permanently and without remedy dwarfed, if at this time of her life she had been left to grow like the wild things in the woods, without sympathy or care.

g on in Esther. She was always, now as before, quiet as a mouse in her father's presence; truly she was quiet as a mouse everywhere; but under the outward quiet Dallas could see now the impulse and throb of the strong and sensitive life within; the stir of i

the elder Dallas one evening. Esther had just

er a pause. The remark about Esther's good looks called forth no

day,' her s

go there

About

rm inter

ng Dallas. 'The classics are rather cool-

ot teaching that child

teachi

a dissatisfied expression. Her hu

ittle maid. Are you

ttle,

ay? if I

port existence. It a

nd you, I confess.

until lately. It is what no

dy else understand he

ot. That's a common ca

her; what's the

od deal is the

his head since his wife died. He fancies he is going after her as

to look after his ch

d put that in hi

not look

he goes; he has a sort of outward care of her, and s

to be sent

school here

nt away, where there i

he colo

little; 'he is able to manage them himself; or he thinks he is, which comes to the

them,' said young Dallas, 'si

r people were left together. Silence reigned between them

g, and nothing gracious, about Mr. Dallas. His figure was rather small, and his manner insignificant. He was not a handsome man, either, although he may be said to have but just missed it, for his features were certainly good; but he did miss it. Nobody spoke in praise of Mr. Dallas's appearance. Yet his face showed sense; his eyes

nd of her son's footsteps had died away, 'w

page of his newspaper, and

hy

re you going

contemplation of the page before him, 'I do not

ember he is

ere not ready to

pped her embroi

must go,

er. He seemed not to fi

oking at him now,

ering over the classics with Colonel Gainsborough doesn't amount to anything. It keeps him out of idleness,-if Pitt ever

l hurry, t

ough for him to have lived in a place like this. If I

put down his paper now

got into

the things they call co

it is fa

't want Pitt to be formed upon the model of things in this cou

uch da

n't k

s head? Gainsborough is

very independent, and takes his own views from nobod

ating

d talking and walking and drying flowers and giving lessons. I don't know

' said the father

d better not be begun,' Mrs

was a

you afraid

of Pitt's was

to have him go until now. I t

t there must come an end to that,' the mother said, with another slig

. Dallas. 'What's your

ell, but the oce

uld you s

the best there

of this country for a while; forget some of his American notion

of both their hearts; the one thing they lived for; the centre of all hopes, and the end of all undertakings. No doubt he must go to college; but the evil day had been pushed far off, as far as possible. Pi

the matter himself,' the father remarked.

him to see the English Church as it is

t th

, and the bishops; and the feeling that everybody around him goes the same

m goes that way? Not he. That's quite as

work so, H

ely fellow to be talk

er, and without knowing it he would feel the influence. He could

hink you need. He hasn't spirit e

ybody in particular. I a

shade of gravity it had not worn. Must he send