Phoebe, Junior

sh blood, though they had never seen England, and talked nothing but Hindostanee, which had brought them "home" at this inhospitable time of the year; and to get the rooms warm enough for the

ertures of kindness. Children are less easily conciliated in real life than superficial observers suppose. The obstinate resistance they made to all Anne Dorset's attempts to win their confidence, was enough to have discouraged the most patient, and poor Anne cried over her failure when those atoms of humanity, so strangely individual and distinct in their utter weakness, helplessness, and dependence, were carried off to bed, gazing

s better. Little disagreeable things! Oh, love them! Why should I love them? They are John's children, I believe; but

e, drying her eyes; "they a

blood; at least, they are not a bit like us, and I canno

this curious argumen

them, new faces and places. I don't wonder that they are frightened, and cry when any one com

n in a chair by the fire, "Anne is too good to live," she cried. "She makes me angry with her goodness. Little white-faced things like nobody I know of, ce

pretty children," said Ursu

n is one that puzzles me; a little helpless wax image that does not know you, that can't respond to you, and won't perhaps when it can; that has nothing inter

ed Ursula, her eyes rou

y marry and have separate interests-if these mites go on looking at me with those big scared eyes as if they expected me to box their ears, I shall do it some day-I know I shall; instead of g

very silly, but I do like London. Yes, I am pleased-I have so many presents to take to them, thanks to you and to Cousin Anne,

endly country place, not a g

ousin

t is desolate and cold-hearted, this great sea o

at of virtuous indignation; "there is you, and Mrs. Copperhead; a

Copperheads? Clarence perhaps? He is coming to Easton,

ush, but somehow her cousin's tone jarred upon her, and she turned round to her packing. The room was littered with the things which sh

u are a good little

y, forgive me! N

ps more to try your temper. We were always very obedient to her, though we worried her, and papa always believed in he

is very rich. She can make other people happy when s

, a brute o

greatness. It was only Sophy's laugh that brought her to herself. She said with some haste, putting in her dresses, with her back turned, "

s," said Sophy. "You would not mind then marrying a man l

r head erect. "I hope I am not like that, thinking of such things. I am very, very

e were tears in her voice. Sophy, who dared not laugh in reply

had been together all your life. I am sure you do not think anything a nice girl ought not to think; but I hope you will never b

ry any one," she added, with a half sigh; "Janey may, but the eldest ha

girl. "Never mind, you will not be like us. You will marry, m

has to be kept so quiet when they are studying; and then the parish people are always coming tramping upstairs with their dirty feet. When

at Ursula's innocent gravity, her absolute unconsciousness of the meanings which her chance words might bear, she r

and stealing two arms round her, "you have been so good to me! as if it was not enough to give me this holiday, the most delightful I ever had

d tell how far the giving way might go? Her brother John had been married at the time when Sophy too ought to have been married, had all gone well-and, perhaps, some keen-piercing thought that she too might have had little children belonging to her, had given force and sharpness to her objections to the pale little distrustful Indian children who had shrunk

e gave me to understand, in her awkward, innocent way, that she preferred papa. A laugh does one good," Sophy a

said their prayers very prettily, poor darlings, and let me kiss

re: you are too bad or too good for anything. I begin to h

first. I could not go to India for my part. A crust of bread at home would be bette

nto consideration when he went away. You

runs through everything. The flowers are used for the seed, and everything in the world is intended to keep the world going. Yes, even I, that i

m you when they need you no longer," said Sophy, indignantly;

se, what a poor thing life is," said Anne, with a little colour rising in her cheeks, "not worth having. I think we have only a right to our existence when we

the housemaid is of mor

thout a housemaid is dreadful. The moment you think of that, you see how important the people who work are; ev

r inst

y; all the same, if you were to do m

dolls, and entreat them to let me pet the

hey get to Easton they will have their own rooms of course. I don't want to reflect upon John, but it is rather a burden this he has saddled

ed her tone, and took up her position in defence of the arra

ly, as Robert has no boy, could go nowhere, papa, but to us. It may be a

succeeded before that time, and was the only son and the head of the family. John was always an ass," said Sir Robert, with a crossness which sprang chiefly from the fact that the temperature of the room was higher than

Mrs. John's people are not well off. Her mother has a large family of her own. The little things would have be

said Sir Robert, grumbling, "and, thank

tion that the children whom she tended were not her own, did not visit her mind, as, perhaps, it had visited Sophy's, making her angry through the very yearning of nature. Anne was of a different temperament, she said a little prayer softly in her heart for the children and for her sister as she stooped over the small beds. "God bless the children-and, oh, make my Sophy happy!" she said. She had never asked for nor thought of happiness to herself. It had come to her unconsciously, in her occupations, in her duties, as natural as the soft daylight, and as little sought after

usin Anne. You have been

long as you trust everybody, Ursula. People are more good than

o shy to say much. "Town is so cheerful," she said.

py everywhere." Ursula felt that it was somewhat derogatory to her dignity to have her enjoym

o