Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 7, 2025
She had certainly plenty of conversation with her godmother, who did her best to sympathise except on the subject of Kettles; but nothing made up for the loss of Nancy and her brothers not even the long letters which the former sent now and then from Easney, written in a bold sprawling hand, covering three sheets of paper, and a good deal blotted. Here is one of these epistles:
There isn't often anything to go to in Easney, but when there is we all five go at once. Dickie wouldn't be left out for anything." By the time the Institute was reached they had become quite confidential, and Pennie had almost forgotten her past sufferings in the pleasure of finding a companion nearer her own age than Miss Unity.
Meanwhile the new maid showed such marked progress in household matters that Betty gradually allowed her to appear upstairs, and on some occasions to open the door to visitors. "What a nice, bright little maid you have!" said Mrs Merridew, who was calling one afternoon. "One of the Easney school-children, I suppose. Country girls are so superior."
Pennie could not explain why it was, but she felt as if she had never really been at home during Ethelwyn's visit to Easney, and was now going back again the real old Pennie once more. So she only hugged her sister for reply, and both the little girls went and sat in the window-seat together, while their mother and Miss Unity were talking.
Now the cloud was gone which had made Pennie's sky so dark, and all was bright again; the drive back to Easney, which she always enjoyed, was on this occasion simply delightful.
Mother went over there sometimes, and took each child with her in turn, but even then there was a serious drawback to buying much, and that was want of money. Some children would doubtless think living at Easney a very dull affair. No shops, nothing new to play with, and very little new to wear.
We must now leave Pennie at Nearminster for a while and return to Easney, where things had been quite put out of their usual order by the arrival of the measles. The whole house was upset and nothing either in nursery or school-room went on as usual, for everything had to give way to the invalids. There was always someone ill. First Dickie, who took it "very hard," Nurse said.
"What a nice little funny face she had!" said Pennie thoughtfully, "such bright eyes! If it was washed clean, and her hair brushed back smooth, and she had white stockings and a print frock, how do you suppose she'd look?" "Not half so nice," said Nancy at once, "all neat and proper, just like one of the school-children at Easney."
What a noise she would make, and how everyone would look at her! "Father goes to see the bad people in Easney as well as the good ones," she said, more to herself than her godmother. "Lots of them never come to church." "Easney is quite different from a cathedral town," said Miss Unity with dignity.
"Father goes to see all the people in Easney," said Nancy, "so why shouldn't Dr Merridew go to see Kettles?" "I don't know why he shouldn't," said Pennie, "but I'm quite sure he doesn't. At any rate I'm not going to ask him anything. I hope I sha'n't see him at all. Oh, why should people learn dancing? What good can it be?"
Word Of The Day
Others Looking