Beechcroft at Rockstone

lways will telegraph when he is coming,' said Miss Adeline Mohun, a very pretty, well preserved, though delicate-l

t is from Lily. Poor Lil

it young Jasper or o

fraid it is her husband. If so, she will be going off to

p, and on your hands. The sus

d it down to you from the station. Supposing it is Sir Jasper, and

er girls, I suppose they would be at school all day; but surely some might go to Beechcroft. And mind, Jane, I wil

were uttered at intervals, while she stood dashing off postc

o ask one of the Wellands to come in to you, a

Jane

me Miss Adeline had reached her sister's

ut indeed you must not undertake anything rash.' (A shake of the head, as the shoes went into their neat b

now it does not sui

e to drop everything, especially now every one i

re of yourself, and don't be nervous. It may mean

ount-a Beechcroft native, who, on being left a widow, had returned to her former mistresses, bringing with her a daughter, who had grown up into an efficient ho

BO, Se

ield, G.C.B., has been thrown from hi

l messenger, whom she had captured by the way, and

and in it her niece Gillian, a girl not quite se

you would co

eard direct

. Papa's leg and three ribs are broken. Not dangerous. Th

ell, Gillian, we must do the b

; he wanted to go with her, but she says it will cost t

egraphed to

we don't quite know where Uncle Regin

re flowing again,

e way; you must do all you can t

. Poor papa! and what a journey mamma will have, and how dreadful it will be without her!

not sound to me so bad, after all; perhaps they will tele

were only th

and beg her privately to persuade his mother to take him, or, if she would not consent to that, a

ale, and squeezed her sister

y great he

ust yo

cert

aiting to

lkestone till the day after to-morrow, at night. I must

not seem to m

en I shall be most wanted. The nursing will have told on the girls, and Ja

you be after

der. Come, you have too much

le-strings if you stayed at home. I

ny account. Macrae would be a very costly article; and, moreover, I want him

righton, and Emily would be too nervous to have her without me. But

Miss Vincent; and she cannot leave her mother, who has had a sort of stroke. Otherwise I should try leavin

e for us to take Mysie and Valetta, and let them go to the High School; and there is a capital day-school for litt

e you really roo

ssing-room, and Fergus in the little room over the

e dear! Yes, that makes it all easy, for in the holidays I know the boys are sure of

arrival of a telegram, which Macrae, looking awestruck, actually delivered to Harry instead of to his mistress; but i

dness of her brothers, and Harry was quite satisfied that his uncle would be a far better escort than himself or Macrae. Aunt Jane went o

laimed Valetta; 'all th

hat we might stay here with M

Mrs. Vincent cannot be moved up here, and

e very good

will be easier at Rockstone, and I am quite sure th

ake Quiz!' a

Funnidos?' c

d Ring?' chi

animals than your four selves. You must ask her, only do not be surprised o

mma, don't you think I might go to Beechcroft with Primrose? I should be so much quieter working for the e

those creatures loose on the aunts without some one to look after them and their

ht they woul

t to do all the mending for yourselves and Fergus, and what Valetta cannot manage. I know you would rather

, ma

before it was too late. Mothers, very fond of their own sisters, cannot always understand why it is not the same with their daughters, who inherit another element of inherited character, and of anoth

a lot of strangers, nor the general bustle, is all nonsense, I know quite well. I see it is b

red, and it will be a town life; but remember that your aunt is mistress of the house, and that even if you do think her arrangements uncalled for, it is your duty to help the others to submit cheerfully. Say anything you please fully and freely

, I will do my best, mamma, an

all; but you must not make too sure. There may be delays. Now I must see Halfpenny

ging from her room, and bese

, may we b

Funnidos and

They are the sweetes

da distracted, with coo-roo-roo at four o'clock

ut a dear little chirp,' tri

ns? We have a vacancy

Rigdums are the eldest pair of guinea-pigs. They are so fond of me, tha

etta, for, indeed, there i

in the cellar if he only saw me on

thing, in spite of your attentions. You must make up your

lways goes about with us, and always behaves like a gentleman, don't you, Quizzy?' and the little Maltese, who perfect

uld be good, but Kunz would be horribly, jealous, you see; he

aught better,' sa

m disturbed. Besides, I really do not think Quiz would be half so well off there as among his own friends and places here, with

unreasonable,' said Gill

een Xerxes and Artaxerxe

y is a Persian philosopher, and th

choose. Oh,' she added, with some relief at the thought, 'i

t answer for his temper under the separation. To break up such a household was decidedly the Goose, Fox, and Cabbage problem. As Mysie observed, in the cou

ever so good as this

equentially. 'Don't you know we are going to scho

oat school,' said Va

is

heard Harr

tchers and bakers an

Val's pigtail, and she was buffeting him vehemently when Harry came out, held them

et-pet-petticoat sch

o be, for boys tha

tchers and bakers and candle

in with a shout at having discovered the kittens making a plaything of the best library pen-wiper, their mother, th

black lines on the gray visage. Mr. Pollock's landlady was to be the happy possessor of Artaxerxes, and the turbulent portion of the Household was disposed of t

you!' were the words that came with her fervent kiss. 'Remember how many years I have been seasoned to be

ot I catch it from William? Well, are you packing up the youthful family

er all day in silence, 'is to go to them; but as I can't send Miss Vincent, educational advantages, as the

he station and begged me to obtain

I have n

ck up at home as they expected. My belief is that it is too much governess and too little play, and that a fortnight here would set her up again. R

dy Merrifield; 'but I am afraid Mysie

effect of all the overd

te, and I suppose there is some

frightened them suffi

, poor child,' said her aunt, in a

ous,

toria takes it. If it is really an earnest wish on that dear little Fly's account, I could not withstand old Rotherwood, and though Mysie might be less happy than

give her

ns, especially as there will be a very short time to decide in, for

ly,' said the Colonel. 'The le

Jane. 'I say quite right too; only, for

I don't think I wish it. Val is safer with you. As Gillian expressed it the oth

ane,' said the Colonel. 'Lily trusts

r visit that it would be a real benefit to Phyllis, as much morally as physically, to have her companionship. It was the tenderest letter that either of the sisters had ev

Jane Mohun. 'I did not thin

ifield, 'that is a shame. You k

ed Aunt Jane. 'Well, Mysie's fate is settled,

e lady's letter had been much less urgent, who could have withstood her lord's postscript: 'If you could see the

she was very fond of Lady Phyllis, and the tears came into

ll feel so lost without you and Val. It is so unhomish, and there

y,' returned Gillian. 'I know I should hate it, w

e could not have settling and unsettling for ever. And I shall see Prim

Rotherwood, should go again to live with lords and ladies, while she went to a nasty day-school with butchers' and b

his naughtiness by observing: 'The old blue merino might stay at home. Miss Mysie would be too set up to wear that among her

d to go and be of some use! Val, you naughty child, how

Mysie should always go everywhere, and wear new frocks, an

one is not bothered to take so much care of them; and lords and ladies aren't a bit bett

airing to her mother, in the midst of her last notes and pac

s being worried on all sides, 'Valetta is not asked, and she

e united voices of her brothers and sisters that they were ashamed of her for be

come here, and remember that fretting is not the way to meet such things. There is a better way, my child, and I think you know what I mean. Now, to help you through the time in an outer way, suppos

hole copy-book in single lines! And won't mamma be pl

ever tumble down, and will turn an engine for d

you'd better settle to get y

Fergus; 'you'd better settle to

exclaimed: 'Don't be all so tiresome. I shall make mamma a beautiful crewel

eant more than t

t shall you do?

ry or stumbling one bit,' said Mysie; 'but I am sure she meant something better and better, and I'm thinking what it is-Perhap

r you,' volunteered Harry, 'and the extra y

glad,' s

s's is the spinning-top-engines, and rule of three; and Val's is a crewel battle cush

s too good to want an insid

brother and sister, as they thought with a sort of p

re,' put in Fergus; '

etty shyness, and as they pressed her, she

pstairs, and as the younger population sc

ike "occupy

e must be as young as Mysie to throw one's "insi

h uplifted eyes. 'I do-I

s a tale begun in imitation of Bessie Merrifield, called "Hilda's Experiences". Suppose that was finished, printed, published, sple