Waking and Working, Or, from Girlhood to Womanhood (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. 1874. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XX. A LETTER AND A WORD. "Life to the vain alone is vanity, But to the wise it is the precious bulb That effloresces into perfectness. Life is to thee but what thou art to it. Live then so, That earth shall be to thee heaven's corridor, The ante-room of bliss Life is no pastoral; the EARNEST live, And they alone " It was a sultry evening in July. Grace had had a somewhat weary day, spending the morning with an invalid, just recovering from low fever--a young girl whose aunt had for many years kept the village school--and the afternoon at the Gotthelby Workhouse. A little worn, both physically and mentally, she went to see old Mrs Morrison, to be "refreshed." Florence and Maud Winton had returned home, and Mrs Sullivan was spending the evening with a friend, hence Grace was quite alone. There was no need to tell Mrs Morrison the object of her visit: she read it at once. "You must take care of yourself these hot days," she said gently, "the spirit is willing, but the flesh--think of the poor flesh, dearie," and the old lady shook her head mournfully. Then, placing Grace in a chair, and removing her sun hat--the old lady was full of these little thoughtful attentions--she resumed her seat, and chatted away in her own peculiar style, amusing and feeding her visitor by turns. "Ah how things go on happening" she said after a few moments' pause, "who would have thought that little sunbeam, Miss May, could find her way into the heart of that grave and thoughtful Mr St George And yet it's not strange, the child has grown so good of late, her character has so" deepened. She is not conscious of the change, but my old heart has taken it all in. Ah dearie, I have watched over you all with great anxiety since life began to be life to you. You're only babes, ...