The Project Gutenberg EBook of The New Mistress, by George Manville Fenn

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Title: The New Mistress
A Tale

Author: George Manville Fenn

Release Date: June 20, 2010 [EBook #32924]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England

The New Mistress, by George Manville Fenn.

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THE NEW MISTRESS, BY GEORGE MANVILLE FENN.

CHAPTER ONE.

THE FIRST MORNING.

"Remember, Hazel," said Mrs Thorne, "remember this--we may be reduced
in circumstances; we may have been compelled by misfortune to come down
into this wretched little town, and to live in this miserable, squeezy,
poorly-furnished house or cottage, with the light kept out by the yellow
glass, and scarcely a chimney that does not smoke; we may be compelled
to dress shab--"

"Yes, yes, mother dear--"

"_Bily_," said Mrs Thorne, with indignant emphasis on account of the
interruption, "but remember this, Hazel, you are a lady."

"Forgive me for interrupting you, mother."

"_Mamma_, Hazel," said the lady, drawing herself up with great dignity.
"If we are by a cruel stroke of fate compelled to live in a state of
indigence when pride has made my eldest child refuse the assistance of
my relatives, I still maintain that I have a right to keep up my old and
ladylike title--mamma."

"But, dear, I am only a schoolmistress now--a national schoolmistress,
and it would sound full of foolish assumption if I called you mamma.
And are you not my dear, dear mother! There, there, good-bye, dear,"
cried the speaker, kissing her affectionately; "and mind the dinner is
done, for I shall be,--oh, so hungry."

"As you please, Hazel," said Mrs Thorne, smoothing down her dress, and
looking ill-used. "Let it be mother then. My feelings have to be set
aside as usual. My life is to be one slow glide down a slope of
indignity to the grave. Ah, what have I done to deserve such a fate?"

"Mother, dear mother, pray, pray don't grieve, and I'll strive so har