Country life -- Juvenile fiction; Girls -- Juvenile fiction; Grandparents as parents -- Juvenile fiction
"We really are," said Mrs. Batcheller. "The Judge and I had a long
talk together, the day he came down, and he wants you to go away to
school with Judy, and have me come and help Aunt Patterson to manage
his house. He says she is too feeble for so much care and that it will
be an accommodation to him."
But Mrs. Batcheller did not tell how the Judge had argued for hours to
break down the barriers of pride which she had raised, and that he had
finally won, because of his insistence that Anne must have the
opportunities due one of her name and race.
"You are to go to Mrs. French's school in Richmond, with Judy. She is
a gentlewoman, a Southerner, and an old friend of the Judge's and mine,
and we think it will be exactly the place for you two for a time."
"It will be lovely," cried little Anne, as the plans for her future
were unfolded, but late that evening when she was ready to say "good
night" she stood for a moment with her cheek against her grandmother's
soft old one.
"I shall miss you and the little gray house, grandmother," she
whispered, "I was hungry for you at The Breakers, although it was
lovely there, and every one was so kind."
"I shall miss you too, dear heart," said the little grandmother, but
she did not say how much, for she wanted Anne to go away happily, and
she felt that she must not be selfish.
It was wonderful the planning that went on after that. Anne spent many
days at the big house in Fairfax, and each time she went it was a
tenderer, dearer Judy that welcomed her.
"Father will stay with grandfather this winter. I begged to stay, too,
but they both think the schools here are not what I need, and so I am
to go away," she explained one morning as she and Anne were getting
ready to go with a party of young people to pick goldenrod.
"Yes," said Anne, putting her red reefer over her white dress, and
admiring the effect.
"I hate school," began Judy, sticking in a hat-pin viciously, then she
stopped and laughed, "No, I don't, either. I don't hate anything since
father came back."
"Not even cats?" asked Anne, demurely.
"No. You know I love Belinda."
"Nor picnics?"
"Not Fairfax ones."
"Nor books?"
"I just love 'em--thanks to you."
"Nor--nor boys--?" mischievously.
"Oh, do stop your questions," and Judy put her hands over her ears.
But Anne persisted, "Nor boys, Judy?"
"I like Launcelot Bart--and--little Jimmie Jones, but I am not sure
about Tommy Tolliver, Anne."
And then they both laughed light-heartedly, and tripped down-stairs to
find Amelia and Nannie and Tommy waiting for them.
"Launcelot couldn't come," explained Tommy. "He had to go to Upper
Fairfax, and he said he was awfully sorry, but he didn't dare to take
so much time away from the farm."
"Poor fellow," sighed tender-hearted little Anne. "He is always so
busy."
"I don't think he is to be pitied," said Judy, with a scornful glance
at Tommy. "He has work to do and he does it, which is more than most
people do."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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