ost
part severely alone; but there were others, fresh and new to me as a June
morning, and quite as refreshing: Hubert used sometimes to join me, but
we generally disagreed. I had little patience with his practical
criticisms of my choicest readings, while he assured me my enthusiasm
over my favorite authors was a clear waste of sentiment. Mrs. Flaxman
was, in addition to all this, adding to my fund of knowledge the very
useful one of needlework, and was getting me interested not only in the
mysteries of plain sewing, but brought some of her carefully hoarded
tapestries for me to imitate--beautiful Scriptural scenes that sent me to
the Bible with a critical interest to see if the designs were in harmony
with its spirit. Then too I used to spend happy hours exploring garden,
field and forest, for Oaklands embraced a wide area, making acquaintance
with the gentle Alderneys, and Jerseys, who brought us so generously
their daily offering, as well as the many other meek, dumb creatures whom
I was getting to care for with a quite human interest. The seashore too
had its constantly renewed fascinations which drew me there, to watch its
tireless ebb and flow, or the busy craft disappearing out of sight
towards their many havens around the earth. Stories I had for the
seashore, and others for the woodland and gardens which I carried on in
long chapters, day after day, until sorrowfully I came to the end, as we
must always do to everything in this world.

My heroes and heroines were all singularly busy people, carrying on their
loves and intrigues amid restless activities, and living in the main to
help others in the way of life rather than, like myself, living to
themselves alone. Altogether I did not find a moment of my sixteen hours
of working life each day any too long, and opened my eyes on each
morning's light as if it were a fresh creation.

Then, in addition to all these, there were solemn, stately tea drinkings
among the upper ten of Cavendish society, but usually I found them a
task--the music was poor, the conversation almost wholly confined to
local affairs, and the only refection of a first-class nature was the
food provided. Cavendish ladies were notable housewives, and could
converse eloquently on pickling, preserving, baking and the many details
of domestic economy, while as regarded the fashions, I verily believe
they could have enlightened Worth himself on some important particulars.
I used to feel sadly out of