The foster-sisters : $b A story in the days of Wesley and WhitfieldGuernsey, Lucy Ellen
History
The foster-sisters : $b A story in the days of Wesley and Whitfield
Guernsey, Lucy Ellen
Evangelical Revival -- England -- History -- 18th century -- Fiction; Historical fiction; Young women -- Fiction
She took up the candle to explore it, and I followed her. It proved to
be an octagon room, with windows on three sides, and doors on two more,
one opening to a spacious wardrobe, the other to the stair Jenny had
spoken of, which seemed to wind around the turret from below. There
was a great Bible and prayer-book on a little table, a hassock, and a
square of carpet, two or three chairs, and a shelf on the wall holding
a few books. There was also a fireplace, but no fire at present.
"This is a snug little place!" remarked Amabel, holding up the light.
"If aunt will let us have a fire here, we can make a nice little study
of it."
The entrance of Mary Lee with our bags recalled us to the needful
duties of the toilette. Mary looked rather pale and scared, and being
questioned as to how she liked her new home, confessed that it was all
so big and grand, that it made her feel home-sick; she supposed she
should grow used to it in time, but it was not what she was used to.
"Of course you will!" said Amabel cheerfully. "Why, what would be the
use of traveling, if one never saw any thing but just what one was used
to? Come, brush our gowns, and find some fresh kerchiefs, and when we
are ready, we will look at your room."
Our mails had not yet come, but we made our traveling dresses look
as smart as we could, by the help of clean kerchiefs and fresh lawn
aprons, and then as Jenny did not come to call us, we mounted the
winding-stair to inspect Mary's room. It corresponded in size with
the one below, and had besides two windows rather high in the wall, a
sashed door which seemed to open to the leads on the top of the house.
It was all comfortable enough, and might be even cheerful and pretty
in the day-time, but it did look rather gloomy by the light of our one
candle.
"Why, this is a nice room, Mary!" said Amabel.
"No doubt it is, mistress, and better than I deserve," answered Mary,
dissolving into tears. "But it does seem dreadful lonesome to sleep
here alone, away from every body."
"Now Mary, I shall be sorry we brought you, if you are going to be a
cry-baby," said Amabel decidedly. "Nay, I am not sure but I shall ask
Mrs. Deborah to send you straight home again. And how can you say you
are away from everybody, when here are Miss Corbet and myself close by
you. What do think will happen to you?"
Mary did not know, only—
"Come, come, this will not do at all," said Amabel. "Mary, you profess
to be a Christian girl. Don't you think the Lord can take just as good
care of you here as if you were in Mrs. Thorpe's back attic? You must
have more faith, child."
Mary wiped her eyes and said she would try. At that moment, we heard my
Aunt Deborah calling us from the room below, and we hastened down the
winding-stair to find her standing in our room.
"I could not guess what had become of you," said she.
Amabel explained that we had been looking at Mary Lee's room, and
trying to reconcile her to her new quarters. It was rather an unlucky
speech.
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account