tionship, Mrs
Rowland might fairly be concluded to be the village scold alluded to by
Mr Enderby. It was impossible that he could have been speaking of his
sister; but Deerbrook was an unfortunate place if it contained a more
unamiable person than she appeared at this moment. The faces of the two
ladies were still flushed with excitement when Mr Hope came in. The
sisters thought he appeared like a good genius, so amiable did the party
grow on his entrance. It seemed as if he was as great a favourite with
the Rowlands as with the other family; so friendly was the gentleman,
and so gracious the lady; while Mr Hope was, to all appearance,
unconscious of the existence of any unpleasant feelings among his
neighbours. The talk flowed on about the concerns of personages of the
village, about the aspect of public affairs, about the poets of the age,
and what kind of poetry was most read in Deerbrook, and how the Book
Society went on, till all had grown cordial, and some began to propose
to be hospitable. Mrs Rowland hoped for the honour of seeing the Miss
Ibbotsons one day the next week, when Mr Rowland should have returned
from a little excursion of business. Mrs Enderby wondered whether she
could prevail on all her young friends to spend an evening with her
before her son left Deerbrook; and Mrs Grey gave notice that she should
shortly issue her invitations to those with whom she wished her young
cousins to become better acquainted.

All went right for the rest of the morning. When the Enderbys and
Rowlands went away, the Levitts came. When Dr Levitt inquired about
the schools of Birmingham, it could not but come out that Hester and
Margaret were dissenters. Yet, as they were desired to observe, he did
not seem in the least shocked, and his manner was just as kind to them
after this disclosure as before. He was pronounced a very liberal man.
Mr Hope was asked to stay to dinner, and Mrs Grey complacently related
the events of the morning to her husband as he took his place at table.
Deerbrook had done its duty to Hester and Margaret pretty well for the
first day. Everybody of consequence had called but the Andersons, and
they would no doubt come on Sunday.

CHAPTER FIVE.

THE MEADOWS.

The afternoon was the time when Miss Young's pupils practised the
mysteries of the needle. Little girls are not usually fond of sewing.
Till they become clever enough to have devices of their own, to cut out
a doll's pettic