FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   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   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   >>   >|  
ape and frills, it had leggings, it had a white plush bonnet (so my wife enables me to affirm), it had hair just the colour of the little lady's locks. As she crossed the bridge, she seemed much pleased by the running of the water beneath her feet, and saying, "Please let Dolly 'ook," in her pretty broken tones, she pushed her doll through the rustic work, holding it by its sash. But, alas! the doll was heavy, and the sash insecurely fastened. It gave way, and the doll plunged into the stream. Once more the sweet little face was convulsed by a look of terror and distress. As the doll floated out on the other side of the bridge, she shrieked and wrung her hands. As for me, I ran down to the edge of the stream, calling Rubens after me, and pointing to the doll. Only too glad of an excuse for a plunge, in he dashed, and soon brought the unfortunate miss to shore by one of her gaitered legs. It was with some triumph that I carried the dripping doll to its little mistress, and heard the nurse admonish her to-- "Thank the young gentleman, my dear." I have often since heard of faces "like an April sky," but I never saw one which did so resemble it in being by turns bright and overcast, with tears and smiles struggling together, and fear and pleased recognition, as the face of the little blonde in the white beaver bonnet. It was she who held out her hand this time, and as I took it she said, "'ank you 'erry much." "It was Rubens' doing, not mine," said I. "Rubens! shake hands, sir!" But the little lady was frightened. She shrank away from the warm greeting of Rubens, and I was obliged to shake hands with him myself to satisfy his feelings. The nursemaid had been wringing out the doll's clothes for the little lady, but now they moved on together. "Dood-bye!" said the little lady, smiling and waving her hand. I waved mine, and then Jemima, having parted with the tinsmith, came up, and we went home. I never saw the beaver bonnets again. CHAPTER XIII POLLY--THE PEW AND THE PULPIT--THE FATE OF THE FLAT IRON By the time that my father came to fetch us away, I was wonderfully improved in health and strength. I even wanted to go back outside the coach; but this was not allowed. I did not forget the little lady in the white beaver, even after my return to Dacrefield. I was fond of drawing, and I made what seemed to me a rather striking portrait of her (at least as to colouring), and wore it tied b
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   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   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Rubens

 

beaver

 

stream

 
bonnet
 
pleased
 

bridge

 
obliged
 

greeting

 

drawing

 

wringing


clothes
 

nursemaid

 

shrank

 

feelings

 

satisfy

 
colouring
 

blonde

 

frightened

 

portrait

 
striking

wanted

 
PULPIT
 

bonnets

 

CHAPTER

 

father

 

improved

 

wonderfully

 
health
 

strength

 

Dacrefield


Jemima

 

waving

 

smiling

 

parted

 

allowed

 

tinsmith

 

return

 

forget

 

insecurely

 

fastened


holding

 

pushed

 

rustic

 

plunged

 

distress

 

floated

 
terror
 

convulsed

 

broken

 

affirm