FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   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   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   >>   >|  
of your age ought to have in the year. I do this because I well understand that at Mrs. Ward's school there will be special opportunities for you to act in a philanthropic manner." "Oh, thank you, thank you, father!" said Merry. CHAPTER XII. SHEPHERD'S BUSH. While Merry was in a state of high rejoicing at this simple means of helping her friend, Maggie Howland herself was not having quite such a good time. She had been much relieved by her conversation with Merry, but shortly after the picnic-tea Aneta had come up to her. "Would you like to walk with me," said Aneta, "as far as the giant oak? It isn't a great distance from here, and I'll not keep you long." "Certainly I will come with you, Aneta," said Maggie; but she felt uncomfortable, and wondered what it meant. The two girls set off together. They made a contrast which must have been discernible to the eyes of all those who saw them: Aneta the very essence of elegance; Maggie spotlessly neat, but, compared to her companion, downright plain. Aneta was tall and slim; Maggie was short. Nevertheless, her figure was her good point, and she made the most of it by having perfectly fitting clothes. This very fact, however, took somewhat from her appearance, and gave her the look of a grown-up girl, whereas she was still only a child. As soon as ever the girls got out of earshot, Aneta turned to Maggie and said gravely, "My cousins the Cardews are to join us all at Aylmer House in September." Maggie longed to say, "Thank you for nothing," but she never dared to show rudeness to Aneta. No one had ever been rude to the stately young lady. "Yes," she said. Then she added, "I am so glad! Aren't you?" "For some reasons I am very glad," said Aneta. "But surely for all, aren't you?" "Not for all," replied Aneta. How Maggie longed to give her companion a fierce push, or otherwise show how she detested her! "I will tell you why I regret it," said Aneta, turning her calm, beautiful eyes upon Maggie's face. "Thank you," said Maggie. "I regret it, Maggie Howland, because you are at the school." "How very polite!" said Maggie, turning crimson. "It is not polite," said Aneta, "and I am sorry that I have to speak as I do; but it is necessary. We needn't go into particulars; but I have something to say to you, and please understand that what I say I mean. You know that when first you came to the school I was as anxious as any one else to
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   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   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Maggie

 

school

 

Howland

 

longed

 

companion

 
polite
 

regret

 

turning

 

understand

 
Aylmer

Cardews

 
rudeness
 

anxious

 

September

 

gravely

 

appearance

 

earshot

 

turned

 

cousins

 

replied


crimson

 

surely

 

fierce

 

detested

 

beautiful

 

reasons

 

particulars

 

stately

 

friend

 

rejoicing


simple

 
helping
 

relieved

 

conversation

 

shortly

 
picnic
 

special

 

opportunities

 

SHEPHERD

 

CHAPTER


philanthropic

 

manner

 

father

 

compared

 

downright

 

spotlessly

 
elegance
 

essence

 

fitting

 

clothes