All the Year Round Volume 16 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1866 Excerpt: ...in contact. She had known no schooling, beyond what was attainable in her native village; all she knew beside, and that was not a little, being due to selfeducation and industry. Esther was already known at the Graize, and her unlooked-for appearance, at a moment, too, when the master's absence left everybody more at liberty, created a complete jubilee; all the domesties, save Mrs. Mapes, the housekeeper, who was an invalid, vying with each other to make weleome their bright young visitor. "If ever I see snch a blessed creetur in my life " said Dolly, the dairymaid. "She have no more pride than my hold slipper " Certainly, the object in question--frayed at the edges, cracked in the sole, and exhibiting an orifiee at the toe--could have small excuse for the vice referred to. "She's well enough, for the matter of that" said Mrs. Turnover, with affected indifference. "Excuse me, ma'am," said Gertrnde Cornish, the housemaid, "but I don't think you're as proud as you justly ought to be. Being as she howes to you her tiptop hedication--which she's fit to kip a school herself--why, you ought to be double prond of such a consekence." "I done my best for to putt her in the way," said Mrs. Turnover, modestly, " but she 'ave 'elped herself wonderful since. So I thought it were better for to let her alone." "S'pose she'll marry soon, and stock a dairyfarm," observed Dolly, to whom this was the very climax of ambitious hope. "She might have married a doctor," said Mrs. Turnover, " but I wouldn't hear on it. An 'ectie, sicky young man, and hadn't no patients but himselt, which, my dear, it didn't pay." "A doctor " cried Gertrnde. "She might marry a duke Wer...