FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63  
64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   >>   >|  
still tired with yesterday.' 'And you think Aunt Alison will let me go?' said Frances. 'Oh yes, I'm sure she will. If you will get on with your lessons now, Frances, so as to be able to say at dinner that you have quite finished, I will go down-stairs and watch for Aunt Alison. She will be in by one, to-day, and I'll ask her for you.' 'Oh thank you, Jass,' said Frances gratefully. 'Yes, I'll hurry up. But--Jass'---- 'Well?' Francie's face grew very grave. 'It's about my things, Jass. What do you think I should wear? I'm so afraid Aunt Alison will be vexed if I put on my best things--and of course black frocks do get spoilt if one runs about much--and yet my every-day frock is so shabby now, and--I don't want the girls to think we're never properly dressed.' Jacinth considered. They were still in deep mourning, for Miss Mildmay's ideas on such subjects were 'old-fashioned,' and she quite recognised that the late Mrs Denison's memory should be treated with the fullest respect. But Jacinth sympathised with Frances's feelings. 'I was looking at our dark-gray frocks with Phebe the other day,' she said. 'The ones we had new just before--before our mourning. You know they were got for half-mourning because of old Sir George Mildmay's--papa's uncle's--death, and they look quite fresh and nice. I don't think you've grown much, Francie--and oh, by-the-bye, I believe there's a tuck that could be let down.' 'Yes,' said Frances, 'there are little tucks--a lot--above the hem.' 'Then I'll run up and tell Phebe to get them out, yours at least. I'll explain to Aunt Alison; and if I lend you my wide black sash, I'm sure it will look quite mourning enough.' 'Oh Jass,' exclaimed Frances, '_how_ good of you!' The honour and glory of Jacinth's best black sash was almost too much for her. 'Really, I should never be cross to Jass. She is so very, very kind and unselfish,' thought the grateful little girl. The gray frock was looked out and soon got ready. It was lying on a chair in the girls' room when Jacinth, a little before half-past one, at last heard her aunt's step in the hall, and ran forward to meet her, primed with her request. Miss Mildmay was still in a somewhat conciliatory mood, and she listened to Jacinth's story with as much kindliness as was in her nature to show. 'Yes,' she said, 'I suppose she may as well go, though you know, my dear, I cannot encourage any schoolgirl friendships. It would
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63  
64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Frances
 

Jacinth

 

Alison

 
mourning
 

Mildmay

 
things
 

frocks

 

Francie

 

exclaimed

 

honour


Really

 
explain
 

kindliness

 

nature

 

listened

 

request

 

conciliatory

 

suppose

 

schoolgirl

 
friendships

encourage

 

primed

 
looked
 

grateful

 

unselfish

 

thought

 

forward

 
fashioned
 

afraid

 
shabby

spoilt

 

gratefully

 

lessons

 

yesterday

 
stairs
 

finished

 

dinner

 
properly
 

dressed

 

George


subjects

 
recognised
 

considered

 

respect

 

sympathised

 

feelings

 

fullest

 

treated

 

Denison

 

memory