Phoebe, Junior

f her little nephews as soon as they got accustomed to their new life; and Seton, the ancient serving-woman, whom the sisters shared between them; and Sir Robert's man, no

her rather forlorn and solitary among the crowd. "Disgraceful of May not to send some one to meet the child. I suppose he knew she was coming," said Sir Robert. And Ursula had something of the same feeling, as she stood looking wistfully about

e Dorsets were out of the way," said Janey, "and,

n the world," said Ursula. "How is papa? Is he in a good humour? And the rest?

I thought you would like me best. Johnnie came to carry the bag," said Janey with a natural contempt for her younger brother. "What a big parcel! You mus

u only knew what

r, jerky school-girl, very well intentioned, but very maladroit, who is a greater nuisance to herself and everybody else than even a school-boy, which is saying a good deal. Things broke in her hands as they never broke in anybody else's; stuffs tore, furniture fell to the ground as she passed by. Ursula carefully kept her off the parcel and gave it to Johnnie. One of the railway porters, when all the rest of the passengers were disposed of, condescended to carry her trunk, and thus they set ou

d?" said Ursula. "How dull i

rget I have been in London; you are not speaking to ignorant ears," said Janey, drawing herself up, "and your letters were quite bad enough. You are not going to

nne and Cousin Sophy took me everywhere. We went to drive in the Park. We went to the Muse

t you told me in your letter. That's what comes of being the eldest. Unl

Naturally, people don't think of a girl at your age. You must wait t

as you said, you can't have danced very much. I know

d Ursula, drawing herself up. "Of course at this time of the ye

in, and to instruct her young sister's mind by the many experiences acquired in that momentous time. Poor Ursula! ten days is quite long enough to form habits at her age, and she had been taken care of, as young ladies are taken care of in society; accompanied or attended wherever she went, and made much of. To find herself thus left to arrive and get home as she pleased, with nobody but Janey to meet her, was a terrible falling-off; and to be laughed at by Janey was the last step of all.

peak to me?" And Janey, who had her own disappointment too, and had expected to be receive

you! I am sure it is I who should cry, n

we have stayed at home, and instead of being pleased to come back, or glad to s

stead of feeling the shock of difference she should have thought of those who had never been so lucky as she was, who had never seen anything out of

, and the other dying to hear. They walked the rest of the way with their heads very close together, so absorbed that the eldest brother, coming out of the gate as they approached, stood looking at

with gables and mullioned windows, which excluded the light, at least, whether or not they inspired passers-by with a sense of correct art, as they were intended to do. It was next door to the church, and had a narrow strip of shrubbery in front, plan

ried Ursula. "You

-laugh, half-sigh. "Or for bad-who

he street. "Oh, Ursula, something very nice has happened. He is to be warden of the o

I thought it was always some

it should be an old gentleman, papa thinks; it is nice, because there is no work-but look

she feared, with an energetic pinch, went in quickly. Little Amy had been playing in the little square hall, which was strewed with doll's clothes, and with two or three dolls in various stages of dilapidati

"I don't wonder that Reginald do

g of the heart, that they were waiting for her arrival, and that Janey had done nothing to them. More toys and more old school-books were tossed about upon the faded old carpet. The table-cover hung uneven, one end of it dragging upon the floor

nto the old easy-chair. "We have missed you very much; but I don't suppose you

principle, Sir Robert says. But we dined at one of those big places one day, and it was very amusing. Scores of people, and great mirrors that made them look hundreds. And such quantities of lights and servants; but Sir Robert

or none of us are very good, and you know

ey! how

apa says so. He says she was jilted,

y, "if we are to hear what my father says

king, "that is because you

were older, you would not talk like that," she said, with dignity, as they went upstairs. "Oh, dear Janey, you can't think how different Cousin Anne and Sophy a

I hope. And it was he who said all that. I

st twenty, the reproach of being childish is worse than any other. She blushed fiery-red, and though she scoffed, was mov

er lap, carefully undoing the knots; for she had read Miss Edgeworth's stories in her youth, and would not have cut the strings for the world; and when

faltering and conscie

ere is not one in the world half good enough for her-not one! Yes, this is for you. They went themselves, and looked over half the things in the shop before they could get one to please them. They did not say, 'Jane

her eyes. She was stricken with the deepest compunction,

d her how badly off

please you-to let you see that you were remembered; but I dare say it is quite true after all," sai

mean it!" said Janey, g

d, who was seated on the dingy sofa waiting for her, to answer her questions about the great event which had happened since she had bee

I am so glad you have got something, Reginald. If you have a good servant, you might be quite comfortable by yoursel

I object to. We are not very tidy or very comfortable, perhaps, b

ing a long breath of awe and admiration, "that yo

g nothing

h the delightful character of the words he said. "But, Reginald, how nice, how very nice it sounds! How lucky you must ha

suppose I can be pleased? Thrust into a place where I am not wanted-where I can be of no us

emed to be speaking in some different language of which

o