United States or Cocos Islands ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"Auntie Phemie," said Dickson a few minutes later, "will you oblige me by coming for a short walk?" "The man's daft," was the answer. "I'm not. I'll explain if you'll listen.... You see," he concluded, "the dangerous bit for me is just the mile out of the village. They'll no' be so likely to try violence if there's somebody with me that could be a witness.
Miss MacDowlas was in her own room writing to Aimée; so the place seemed very quiet, and it was its quietness, perhaps, which so stirred Phemie to sorrowful thoughts and fear. Upon her brightly flowered chintz cushions Dolly lay like the shadow of her former self.
"No," said Phemie, "unless something possesses that sappy little Parmlee to make one of his visitations. John Milton says that out on the road it blows so you can't stand up. It's just like that idiot Parmlee to be blown in here, and not have strength of mind enough to get away again." Mr. Harkutt smiled.
"Well, when HE this Rand told me he had a twin-brother, he looked so frightened that I knew he knew nothing of his brother's doings with that woman, and I threw him off the scent. He's a good fellow, but awfully green, and I didn't want to worry him with tales. I like him, and I think Phemie does too." "Nonsense! He's a conceited prig! Did you hear his sermon on the world and its temptations?
It would show her that her time was not her own, and that she was expected to make herself useful; and it would also set to rights any little mistake lookers-on might have previously labored under as to her position. But even this did not destroy Dolly's equanimity. She finished the small joke she had been making to Phemie, and then turned to her august relative with a sweet but trying smile.
He's strucken her, Phemie," said Annie, clutching her neighbor's shoulder as she spoke. "My, he's gaen her an awfu' blow on the mouth an' knocket her doon. Come inside for as sure as daith it'll end in a coort case, an' I'm no wanting to be mixed up in it," and they went inside and shut the door, looking at each other with frightened eyes.
There's Clemmy, she's only two years older nor me, and don't know half that I do, and yet she kin lie about all day, and hasn't to get up to breakfast. And Phemie, who's jest the same age, size, and weight as me, maw and paw lets her do everything she wants to. And so does everybody. And so would you." "But you surely don't want to be like a girl?" said Grant, smiling.
Harkutt audibly murmured "Poor dear Dan'l," and stood, as it were, sympathetically by, ready to commiserate the pains and anxieties of wealth as she had those of poverty. Clementina alone remained silent, clear-eyed, and unchanged. "And to think it all came through THEM!" continued Phemie. "I always had an idea that Mr. Grant was smart, dad. And it was real kind of him to tell you."
Silently they retired, put out the light, closed their eyes, and soon two unequal snores, one deep and the other shriller, accompanied the uninterrupted rattle of the dying man. The rats ran about in the garret. The husband awoke at the first streaks of dawn. His father-in-law was still alive. He shook his wife, worried by the tenacity of the old man. "Say, Phemie, he don't want to quit.
"Certainly not," answered Dolly, who knew very well what was coming, though poor Phemie evidently thought she was going to impart an extremely novel and unexpected piece of intelligence. "What is it, Phemie?" "Well, somehow or other, I don't believe mamma exactly likes you, Dolly."
Word Of The Day