The Living Age Volume 282 (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. 1914 Excerpt: ...The Days are very poor now, but they are thrifty and respectable," said the Vicar. "When people are poor it is their ewn fault," said Miss Parker, who had never earned a penny. "It is alvavs nitnpr extravagance or drink." The Vicar did not argue with his sister. You might as well-argue with a monument as with a woman who has the narrowest possible experience of life and no modesty of judgment. But as his boys were expected home for Christmas, and she complained that the maids would be overworked, he suggested that perhaps Mrs. Day would come in and help them. Miss Parker said that what the maids wanted was a little help for an hour or two in the morning, and that she thought Priscilla might be taught to make herself useful. Mrs. Day was such a large woman and the Rectory kitchen was not large. Besides, last time Mrs. Day came for a day's work when White was out she had cleaned the kitchen so thoroughly that White considered it a slur on herself, and took offence. Didn't the Vicar remember? The Vicar didn't remember, but he told his sister to do as she pleased; so next day Miss Parker popped into the Days' garden again, and again found Mrs. Day plucking poultry in the shed. But it was windy, the feathers were blowing about, and Mrs. Day put down the bird she had in her hands, took off her coarse apron and invited her visitor into the cottage: The poor woman was not well. Privation, anxiety and the long hours in the shed were telling on her, and she was suffering from asthma and rheumatism. She looked more than her age; she breathed heavily and her stiff joints affected her movement. "Meat is the worst thing for rheumatism," said Miss Parker, looking round the cottage to see if all was as it should be. "All the modern d...