The English Orphans; Or, A Home in the New WorldHolmes, Mary Jane
General
The English Orphans; Or, A Home in the New World
Holmes, Mary Jane
Orphans -- Fiction
By this time Mary had dried her tears, and when they reached the
station at Warren, she removed her veil, disclosing to view a face,
which instead of being "rough and blowsy" was smooth and fair almost
as marble.
"That isn't a pauper, I know," said Ida; and Rose replied, "Well, she
has been, and what's the difference?"
"But where does she live now?" continued Ida. "I begin to grow
interested."
"I suppose you remember Mrs. Mason, who used to live in Boston,"
answered Rose. "Well, she has adopted her, I believe, but I don't know
much about it, and care a good deal less."
"Mrs. Mason!" repeated Ida. "Why, Aunt Martha thinks all the world of
her, and I fancy she wouldn't sleep quite so soundly, if she knew her
adopted daughter was in the car. I mean to tell her.--Aunt Martha,
Aunt Martha!"
But Aunt Martha was too fast asleep to heed Ida's call, and a gentle
shake was necessary to rouse her to consciousness. But when she became
fully awake, and knew why she was roused, she started up, and going
towards Mary, said in her own peculiarly sweet and winning manner,
"Ida tells me you are Mrs. Mason's adopted daughter, and Mrs. Mason is
the dearest friend I ever had. I am delighted to see you."
Jenny immediately introduced her to Mary, as Miss Selden, whispering
in her ear at the same time that she was George's aunt; then rising
she gave her seat to Aunt Martha, taking another one for herself near
Rose and Ida. Without seeming to be curious at all, Aunt Martha had a
peculiar way of drawing people out to talk of themselves, and by the
time they reached the station, where they left the cars for Mt.
Holyoke, she had learned a good share of Mary's early history, and
felt quite as much pleased with the freshness and simplicity of her
young friend, as Mary did with her polished and elegant manners.
CHAPTER XIX.
MT. HOLYOKE
"Oh, forlorn what a looking place!" exclaimed Rose Lincoln, as from
the windows of the crowded vehicle in which they had come from the
cars, she first obtained a view of the not very handsome village of
South Hadley.
Rose was in the worst of humors, for by some mischance, Mary was on
the same seat with herself, and consequently she was very much
distressed, and crowded. She, however, felt a little afraid of Aunt
Martha, who she saw was inclined to favor the object of her wrath, so
she restrained her fault-finding spirit until she arrived at South
Hadley, where every thing came in for a share of her displeasure.
"_That_ the Seminary!" said she contemptuously, as they drew up before
the building. "Why, it isn't half as large, or handsome as I supposed.
Oh, horror! I know I shan't stay here long."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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