Old Kensington

b, and every b

d thorn seemed w

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e ice the crimso

k, the beech, an

in the freezi

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glitter in t

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ld Street listening to one of Rhoda's interminable 'pieces' that she learnt at her French school? And t

chair, sitting and listening with her hands lying loosely crossed in her lap; as she listened to the youthful din of music and voices and the strumming piano and the laughter. She had come by Dolly's special request. Her presence was considered an honour by Mrs. Morgan, but an effor

, smash, bang, crack, he flew at it, thumping the keys, missing half the notes, sometimes jumbling the

r,' cries George

nation at her tameness. John Morgan piped away with a face of the greatest seriousness, following his pupil's lead; he had much respect for George's musical capabilities. Cassie and Zoe sang one part together, and now and then Robert Henley came out with a deep trumpet-like note, placing it when he saw an opportunity. Dolly laughed the first time, but Rhoda's dark eyes were raised admiringly. So they all stood in the twilight, nodding their heads and cl

ith eyes steadily fixed upon her scroll. Rhoda blushed, and shrilled and b

e kept them all at work, and gave no respite except to Rhoda, whose feelings he feared he had

fashioned glees, with a faded and flourishing dedication to the Right H

the past that was her own, and of the future that was to be for others; as the tunes struck upon her ear, they seemed to her like the new lives all about her repeating the old notes with fresh voices and feelings. George was in high good humour, behaving very well until Robert displeased him by taking somebody el

d not urge them to remain. There was a little chattering in the hall: Dolly was tied up and kissed and tucked up in her shawl; Lady Sarah donned a capoche (as I think she called it); they stepped out into the little starlit street, of which the go-to-bed lights were already burning in the upper windows.

exists among them now. To-day, for a good many of them, expediency seems a great discovery, and the stone that is to turn everything to gold. Take things as you find them, do so and so, not because you feel inclined, or because it is right and generous, but because the neighbours are looking on, it is expected of you; and then, with our old friend the donkey-man, we stagger off, carrying

ge, starting in high spirits, and with visions of all the letters of the alphabet before h

' Dolly said; 'girls never d

u to go to Indi

o Aunt Sarah about it, and said they were coming home. A

a pipe,' said George; 'an

brought Robert Henley with him. The old grandmother in the Palace was dead, and the young man had no longer a lodging in Kensington. The two arrived after dinner, and found Lady Sar

George and Robert were out in the garden already. Overhead was a blue, high heaven; the white snow-country she could see through her window was sparkling and dazzling white. Sharp against the heavens stood the delicate branches of the trees, prismatic lights were radiating from the slopi

t,' crie

h her breakfas

s once, in the days of her prosperity, and which became the girl so well that her aunt liked her to wear it. Henley, standing by a frozen cabbage in the kitchen-garden, watched

and warm lights. She had tied a scarlet kerchief round her neck, but the snow did not melt for all her bright colours. How pretty it was! leaves lying crisped and glittering upon the white foaming heaps, tiny tracks here and there crossing the pathways, and th

a corner of the bed, where a little colony of snowdrops lay crushed by a tiny avalanche that had fallen

e before him, bright and bonnie, handsome and outspoken. Dorothy rules him with the ascendency of a youthful, indifferent heart, strong in its own reliance and hope; and yet this maiden is not the person that she

g in, 'I shall not forget our morning's expedition together-will you, too, promise me--?' He stopped short. 'What are those?' he said, sent

running away. It was very babyish and vulgar, but Robert looked so solemn that