Queenie's whim, Volume 2 (of 3) : $b A novel — John Shaqi
Queenie's whim, Volume 2 (of 3) : $b A novelCarey, Rosa Nouchette
General
Queenie's whim, Volume 2 (of 3) : $b A novel
Carey, Rosa Nouchette
English fiction -- 19th century
"I must help too," broke in the child eagerly. "I can mend quite
neatly now, Cathy; and I will weed the garden, and grow radishes, and
mustard, and cress, and sweep up the hearth, and put on the kettle
for Queenie when she comes home tired. Oh I wish Caleb and Molly
would come and live with us, and that we could all be happy together."
"Caleb would not like to leave Carlisle, or Molly either; you must be
content with me, and only me."
"My dears," interrupted Langley's quiet voice from the door, "it is
past eleven, and these night dews are not wholesome for the child;
let me beg you to close the window, and leave off talking;" and thus
admonished, the little party broke up somewhat hurriedly.
Queenie had interviews with Mr. Logan and Captain Fawcett the next
day.
"Well, Miss Marriott, so you are to be my tenant for Briarwood
cottage," he said, stopping to speak to her, as they encountered each
other in the lane. "My wife was so glad to get the little lassie for
a neighbor, that you might almost have made your own terms with us."
"You are very kind not to put difficulties in my way. The rent is so
small that I thought we could afford it. It will be quieter than
lodgings, and more to ourselves; but it sounds rather ambitious, a
home of our own," returned the girl, with a little thrill of
excitement. Poor as it was it would be home.
"Suppose we go and have a look at it," proposed Captain Fawcett in
his curt, business-like way. "It is in miserable need of repairs, I
know; that last tenant of mine let it go to rack and ruin. I will go
over to Hargrave's and get the key. Oh, there's the Vicar crossing
over to speak to you; I can safely leave him with you a minute."
"I must shake hands with my new school-mistress," said Mr. Logan,
beaming on her through his spectacles. "So you have talked us all
over, and got your own way; well, well, everything is for the best,
of course; but to have a young lady, a clergyman's daughter too,
teaching in that crazy little building yonder is a strange sight to
me."
"I shall not be above my work; you will have no reason to repent your
decision," returned the girl firmly, but modestly.
"Well said, my dear young lady, 'who sweeps a room.' You know what
our excellent Herbert says, 'It is the motive that ennobles the
work.' I am glad to see you remember that."
"I mean my work to ennoble me," replied Queenie, her face glowing
with the thought. "It does not matter that the building is poor, and
the children some of them rough and uncultivated; it is a grand work
to teach young minds, and to watch their progress, and get interested
in their lives. It may tire one a little at times," she continued
candidly, "but it is not mere drudgery and nothing else. Oh, Mr.
Logan, say you are pleased to have me; it will give me heart and
courage to hear you say so."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account