The opening of the post-bag at the Villa Camellia, bearing as it did
missives from most quarters of the globe, was naturally a great daily
event. Some of the girls were lucky in the matter of correspondence--Peachy
received numerous letters--and others were not so highly favored. Poor
Lorna was generally left out altogether. Her father wrote to her
occasionally, but she had no other friend or relation to send her even a
post-card. She accepted the omission with the sad patience which was her
marked characteristic. Her affection for Irene had been an immense
factor in her school life this term, but she was still very different
from other girls, and kept her old barrier of shy reserve. Irene,
noticing Lorna's wistful look towards the post-bag, often tried to share
her correspondence with her buddy; she would show her all her picture
post-cards, briefly explaining who the writers were and to what their
allusions referred. At first Lorna had only been languidly polite over
them, but later she grew interested. Second-hand articles may not be as
good as your own, but they are better than nothing at all, and the
various items of news made topics for conversations and gave her a
glimpse of other people's homes.
Irene, finishing her budget one morning, sorted out any which she might
hand on to her chum.
"Not home letters--yours are sacred, Mummie darling!--and she wouldn't
care to hear about Aunt Doreen's attack of rheumatism. There are two
post-cards she may like, and this lovely long stave from Dona. Lorna,
dear! I've told you about my cousin Dona Anderson? She's at Brackenfield
College. She's older than I am, but somehow we've always been such
friends. I like her far and away the best out of that family. She
doesn't find time to write very often, because she's in the Sixth and a
prefect, and it keeps her busy, and besides she never has been much of a
scribbler. I haven't heard from her for months. This is ever such a
jolly letter, though, if you care to look at it."
"Thanks," said Lorna, accepting the offer. "Yes, I remember you told me
about her. She must be rather a sport. I wish she were at the Villa
Camellia instead of in England."
"And Dona thinks there isn't any other school in the world except hers."
But Lorna had opened the closely-written sheets and was already reading
as follows:
St. Githa's,
Brackenfield College,
March 30th.
Renie dear!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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