Hollowmell / or, A Schoolgirl's Mission

to appear at the door, looking in with some bashfulness at first, but plucking up courage after sundry peeps at the good things, they came trooping in, in goodly numbers-a motly throng, ranging in po

rtiness in their crimpe

d in, "like figs in a box," as Minnie humourously remarked thinking she was saying quite a smart thing, out of which delusion she was at once awakened by one of the smallest and most ragged of the urchins present, who promptly suggested "herring" as a more appropriate simile. This view of the case being evidently a popular one, and, moreover, being more favourably received by the assemblage, Minnie felt it to be her duty to admit the correction, and next fell to wondering how they would manage to get out again. The difficulty did not seem to strike the children as

ceremony being accomplished, the business o

reafter filled up with games and songs supplied by the youn

d to their homes and scattered there all unconsciously, the seeds of kindness which had that night been scattered so freely in their own hearts; for Minnie could not let them go away, even on that first night of her experiment, without saying to them a wor

ive the matter a second thought suspected a girl not much older than themselves of such a thing, and the younger ones did not trouble themselves with motives, but thought it nice to have the young lady speaking so sweetly

s entirely themselves. Mabel thought it likely they would introduce rather rough games, and possibly rude songs, and that it

to something better than what forms their enjoym

nd at length, indeed, admitted as a rule of the house, but the first clause she

we must not frighten them away at the beginning with stringent regulat

confessed long afterwards, that it was the complete freedom from restraint and from any attempt to introduce other than

with her, for the spell of a sacred charge was upon her, and its influence mellowed and subdued her native sweetness, till it seemed to those about her something unearthly, and

u all say that she never gets provoked except with me. Well, I promise you, I'll provoke her; I know her, and exactly how long any impression

as for Minnie, you can't make her sour whatever you do, so it is only lost time. She's just sweetness itself always, though she has a quick temper, and lets it get ro

please, it's quite enough responsibility for a young lady of your age," replied Mona wit

or Minnie was their favourite, and they all knew that Mona was jealous of Minnie's position as such, no less than of her rivalry in other matters. However, though she did her best by

he subject. There was also another eye which saw and noted these things-that of Miss Elgin, the English governess, who was more among the

, and in this way Saturday arrived, and the tw

ir, which was occupied by Mabel, that a prize would be given at the end of a stated

which they both considered their plain duty to begin at the very outse

a hoard of old ones which he was very glad to be rid of, and partially through the co-operation of a friend of his who also obtained permission so to di

e some dissatisfaction felt about some getting new spades and rakes, and others not. This difficulty they soon disposed

had originated, and were so kept free from the morbid and unhealthy train of thought into which girls of their age with nothing better to

ances would permit; and were to be found, on other afternoons, instead of lying about the little gardens, enhancing their disorder, hard at work with their spades and other implements, engaged in weeding them and setting them in order;

mind and forgotten all about it, when Minnie informed him one evening that it was now a month since they commenced their work, and as th

ou. I had almost forgotten that it was you who occupied it till this moment. I was just remarking to Menzi

use we keep the windows

than give you another lease of it," remarked Mr. Kimberly, smiling at her delighted face. "

mes regularly and weeds our beds, because we haven't time to attend to them ourselves. He did it at first without any pro

of keeping their own tidy, into their head

shaking her head wisely. "Perhaps it has been there a

s you may draw on me, because I should like to see my work-people in a better condition, though I haven't time to attend to it myself, and they wont. They don't seem to see the good of spending money on anything but drink, and

d have liked to stay and cheer him up, she thoug

g. Oh, I will be so glad if I can do anything to make it easier for him. These people try him so-I suppose they have been threatening another st