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Thomasina was not sentimental, and she slapped him well his hands for picking the tulips, and his feet for going barefoot. But his feet had to be slapped with Thomasina's slipper, for his own shoes could not be found. In spite of all his pranks, John Broom did not lose the favor of his friends. Thomasina spoiled him, and Miss Betty and Miss Kitty tried not to do so.
At last the strings gave way, and he cast it triumphantly out of the clothes-basket which served him for cradle. Successive efforts to induce him to wear it proved vain, so Thomasina said the weather was warm and his hair was very thick, and she parted this and brushed it, and Miss Kitty gave the cap to the farm-bailiff's baby, who took to it as kindly as a dumpling to a pudding-cloth.
And when it had passed it left them still open, but gems that had lost their ray. The spirit does not always falter in its faith because the flesh is weary with hope deferred. When week after week, month after month, and year after year, went by and John Broom was not found, the disappointment seemed to "age" the little ladies, as Thomasina phrased it.
She looked expectantly at Thomasina, and Thomasina stood in front of the chimney-piece with both hands thrust into the side pockets of her bicycling skirt, jingling their contents in an easy, gentlemanly fashion. From her leathern band depended a steel chain which lost itself in the depths of the right-hand pocket.
Thomasina sat opposite to Rhoda, and pressed the various dishes upon her good- temperedly, ignoring all causes of discord, an attitude which, if she had only known it, but added to the score against her, for pride forced a haughty "No, thanks," whilst appetite prompted "Yes, please."
"Yes, I do. One has always some object in work. I wondered what yours might be. Why are you so terribly anxious to come to the front?" A dozen answers rose to Rhoda's lips. To impress Thomasina; to show her that if I do think a good deal of myself, it's not without a cause... To take the conceit out of the girls who patronise me.
They said That since Lob came back to Lingborough the hens laid eggs as large as turkeys' eggs, and the turkeys' eggs were oh, you wouldn't believe the size! That the cows gave nothing but cream, and that Thomasina skimmed butter off it as less lucky folk skim cream from milk. That her cheeses were as rich as butter.
"'Twas the twelfth of February, so the chronicler avers; Mr. Todgers in his garden, and Miss Tee, of course, in hers; Both assiduously working, both no doubt upon their knees, Chanced to raise their eyes together; glances met and, if you please, Ere one could say Jack Robinson! tut-tut! or fol-de-re! Thomasina loved Mr. Todgers; Mr. Todgers loved Miss Tee!
"I would not accept good luck from a doubtful quarter to save Lingborough. But if It can face this excellent clergyman, the Being who haunted my great-grandfather's farm is still welcome to the old barns, and you, Thomasina, need not grudge It cream or curds." "You're quite right, sister Betty," said Miss Kitty. "You always are; but oh dear, oh dear!"
Half-an-hour seemed a long time to prepare for tea, when no change of garment was possible, but it passed so quickly that the sound of the gong came as a surprise, and she emerged from her retreat to find her room-mates already filing towards the door. Thomasina led the way, staring at Rhoda's locks with an amusement which the girl found it hard to fathom.
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