Miss Con

"THE very thing for you, Constance. Most satisfactory. Really, if we had—a—if we had hunted all England over, we could not—ahem—could not have hoped to find anything more suitab...

ALBINIA has a comfortable home,—so far as carpets and curtains are concerned. If only that mountain of human pomposity were not appended! But then she need never have accepted h...

I MUST take up the thread where I left off three days ago. The last evening in Albinia's house has come, and to-morrow I make my plunge into a new life. It is late, and I have b...

"SO you leave us—a—to-day, my dear Constance, and—ahem—proceed to your new sphere of work. I am sure I may say—a—that you carry with you our best wishes—my wife's and mine, I sh...

It passed, as such intervals do, and I found myself in a crowded compartment on the way to Glynde Junction. This second stage of my journey was a good deal occupied in observati...

I AM writing at odd times to-day, as I find leisure. A hot fit of journalism is on me just now; perhaps as a relief to certain nameless feelings; and I have a fancy to note down...

Glynde itself is a sleepy country town, of ordinary type, possessing its two Churches, its clergy, its doctors, its lawyers, its necessary array of second-hand shops, its town-h...

Somewhat apart from the central family collection, I noted two of cabinet size, placed close together. One was the likeness of a remarkably handsome youth, almost a young man, s...

SCHOOLROOM tea was nearly over to-day, when Denham dashed in and took his place. There had been no further question as to patronage of the teapot, which fell to me naturally, th...

Maggie could not at all get over the little contretemps in the hall. I could see all dinner-time that she was under a weight of shy uneasiness, even talking and laughing with Gl...

MY eighteenth birthday. Mother gave me a beautiful edition of Shakespeare. She really ought not to spend so much on me, though I do dearly like to have this. Then I have a gold...

The place is named "Beckdale," and it is far-away in a lonely part of the West Riding. It has belonged to an old great-uncle of Mrs. Romilly's, who stayed there all the year rou...

DARLING NELLIE,—We are all so glad to hear better accounts of sweetest Mother, and that she likes the idea of going soon to Germany. The weather has been so lovely this week, th...

IF ever anybody managed to write a harmless and non-exciting letter, I should have said that mine to Mrs. Romilly came under that description. Her answer fell upon me like a sma...

MAGGIE'S story has been returned, as any one might have foretold. She has wondered much over the delay, devising all sorts of extraordinary reasons for the same, and she has wri...

LADY DENHAM has been to call, and her call was avowedly on me as well as on Maggie. This is very kind. She is, as Thyrza has said, a plain little woman, yet a thorough lady and...

UNCLE TOM was in London on Tuesday, and he very kindly went to see two or three publishers for me. Mr. B. spoke a long time about the great necessity for careful preparation and...

THE Romillys leave to-morrow, and I have seen almost if not quite the last of them to-day. They spend one night in London at a hotel,—a troublesome plan, we think, for such a la...

Everybody was in the highest spirits,—that is to say, the highest of which each was capable,—charmed with the glimpses of mountain scenery which we had during the last hour or s...

OUR dog-cart took the lead, descending first the steep and rugged road which led from the station, our driver walking at the horse's head. I found that the waggonette was Mr. Ro...

I could see that she was. She looked quite pale and out of breath. I found later that they had met on the road the messenger from the telegraph-office, had guessed his errand, q...

Even Elfie—my little clinging Elfie—has changed. I do not know why. Though not so poorly as last week, and able to be about again, she seems fractious and peevish, and nervous f...

Poor Mrs. Romilly has been so dreadfully ill. Nobody seems exactly to understand how she was hurt, except about the collar-bone, which doesn't explain her being so very ill. Mot...

WE glide on from day to day, hardly aware, perhaps, how time is flitting. Better accounts of Mrs. Romilly reach us, but no word is spoken of Mr. Romilly's return to England.

We had bright sunshine. I think I should have been glad of rain to keep us at home. For the whole morning I was haunted by the thought that Arthur Lenox might after all respond...

I think I warned you in my last letter that if you would have an opinion from me as to your powers, it must be an honest opinion. That does not at all mean that what I say must...

MY Elfie has come back to me again. It is strangely a comfort to know that her loving heart has been true throughout, only—But I had better be consecutive.

A WEEK ago to-day Lady Denham and Sir Keith left us, returning home. Some business recalled him suddenly, and she would not stay behind. I was glad to see the very marked warmth...

I suppose reunions after long partings seldom pass off exactly as one expects beforehand. Imagination sees only the poetry and delight of meeting. But the reality includes a goo...

October 7. Wednesday.—I think my book looks very nice; so prettily bound: and Mother is so pleased. It seems strange to have written at last a real five-shilling tale,—my childi...

No answer has come yet from the Society about my MS. "Winnie." I did not think I should have to wait so long: but I sent it at a busy time, so delay is not surprising.

Craven's attack, though sharp, was short. In less than a week he was out of danger, and on a fair road to recovery. And then I, in my turn, broke down.

The mountainous heights stand all around, as they have stood for ages past; and the torrent-river brawls over its rocky bed from the Dale-Head, a golden stream fast widening. Th...

The first thing in the morning I heard that Sir Keith had an engagement at Beckbergh. What the engagement might be, I was not told; only it appeared to interest Thyrza. Some sup...

I WATCHED Thyrza, as she crossed actively the broken but on the whole level space, between the road and the steep mountain-sides: and I saw her begin to climb with easy speed.

I HAD not looked at my watch when Thyrza left me. A glance at it now showed the afternoon to be far advanced; indeed, this I already knew from the slant of the sun's rays.