Annette Lyster

“ Jack Sparling's life was one that bore looking into. Bess Avery was never weary of telling how, when she and Tom were down with fever, Sparling nursed them and worked for them, as if he had been a brother—though up to that time, they had hardly known him. A purer, holier, more self-denying life no man had ever lived than did this poor rough workman, who could read, but had never learned to write, and who was not even clever at his trade. ”

“ Fwank begged me not."
Mrs. Rayburn was quite willing. Many a time at Hemsborough had her fingers itched to whip one or the other, or both, for she had scant patience with children, and Janet had perhaps too much. But as she put forth a hand to take hold of Fred, Frank pushed in between them, keeping the child behind him, and crying, as he faced her like a little lion—
"No, you've whipped me, and that's enough. If you touch Fred, I'll—I'll push you into the water! We'll run away and be lost; you shan't—you shan't touch Fred." ”

“ And besides, I don't know them any more than you do," said Ruth.
"I will come for you and go with you the first day, Ollie," said Ralph, not without a feeling of surprise at himself.
"Mr. Trulock, I do think you are the kindest person in the world!" cried Ruth earnestly.
"You won't find many to agree with you there," replied Ralph drily.
"That fat woman called you Old Crusty," remarked Ollie.
"You should not have said that Ollie," Ruth said reprovingly. "She did not mean Mr. Trulock to hear it. Well, sir, I hope our grandfather may turn out to be just like you," she added, turning to Ralph. ”

“ Jack warned me that I must guard against that. Yet, sir, I do try to be kind to any one that is in want."
"My boy, I know you do. Did I not hear only yesterday that you have taken that poor old Betty Price, the fishwoman, to be your servant, only because she is no longer able to trudge about with her basket? And what I like so much is, that you never speak of these things. But there is something more wanting; you must come out of your shell, and realize that we have duties to our equals and to ourselves. If you don't, Roger, you'll never become more than half a man. ”

“ Poor Janet! She would not have admitted to any one, even to herself, that she in the least distrusted her husband. Yet, in doing this, she was unconsciously influenced by a touch of distrust. She felt that if she kept money enough to take her and the boys out, maybe Fred would go on just keeping himself; he had never taken kindly to steady, dull work, and this kind of life might have some strange attraction for him. ”

“ Eyre found time for the talk with Hetty which she had promised her. But one morning, Flo being asleep, and the others out, Mrs. Eyre said: "Hetty, you know you and I were to have a serious talk; for I did not say what I wished to say to you that evening."
"I remember, ma'am. You were saying that trying hard won't do, by itself. Ma'am, if you'll believe me, Matty told me that when I was coming here, that first time, and I never minded. I didn't really understand. But I do now. I see plain enough that it is not in my own strength that I can cure my heedlessness. ”

“ Two young beggars, as I'm a living woman! And he carrying a posy as big as a broom! Why, neighbour! Mr. Trulock,—I say, don't be in such a hurry; where ever did you pick up them two little beggars?"
"We are not beggars," cried Ollie, indignantly. "We didn't ask for anything."
"These are friends of mine who are going to dine with me," said Ralph, while Ruth quieted Ollie.
"Friends!" squeaked Mrs. Short. "I didn't know you had any friends here—not such young ones as that, at least. Who are they? What's their name?" ”

“ Avery hurt herself—how the town has grown, for there were no houses here then! That sprain of poor Bess Avery's ankle was a fine piece of luck for me, though that is a heathenish way of talking of it. Why, they are collecting their tools in the very same place! There is the lorry, all just the same! Oh! I wonder, shall I have Jack by his strong hand,—such a grip,—in a few minutes? I feel as if I were in a dream, and that presently I shall wake up and find the dinner basket on my arm, and feel the queer sinking that came over me when I saw the food. ”

“ Now, my dear, just one word. I've no doubt you'll do well and prosper. The doctor's fond of you, and he's a good man. But when you're a gentleman, with learning, and money and all your heart can desire, don't you forget what I say to you now: If you let those things fill your heart so that you forget God, and never read the Bible, nor go to church, nor pray, it would have been better for you if you had died there on my hearthstone along with your little brother. Don't turn God's favour into a misfortune, Fred. Mind, Frank's waiting for you in heaven. ”

“ Well, one thing is clear; if no one ever loves me, it's my duty to love people. And I must see mother, for she has a right to settle it."
She put on her hat and ran down to the parlour. "Can you spare me for an hour, ma'am? I want to speak to mother."
"Yes, of course you do. I can spare you, Hetty. Indeed, we must learn to do without you—poor Flo and I."
On this Flo began to cry again, and so, be sure, would Hetty—when a cry was heard outside, "Cherries! ripe cherries! cherry-ripe! cherry-ripe! Penny a bunch! penny a bunch!" ”

“ Ruth escaped as fast as she could, and ran home, half angry, but more than half amused. Mrs. Short rose from her chair and got her neatly made veal pie from her cupboard.
"Sich a comfort," she murmured, "to get the grate done. Mrs. Cloudesley's sure to hear of it. It will be nearly as good as having a gel, and it's no more than good-natured to teach that poor orphian to get a living, as that crusty old feller may turn her out to do for herself any day." ”

“ From that time Frank's resting-place was kept in the most beautiful order. Betty could always spare a few plants for this purpose, and Fred cut the grass with shears, and trimmed and tended it, until it was a wonder for colour and smoothness.
After a time, the boy began to speak more frequently, and the doctor put him to school, where he soon surprised the schoolmaster by his quickness and ability. But he did not care to join the boys on the green, unless they were playing cricket or football. In these, he soon excelled, but for a mere game of romps he did not care at all. ”

“ No one would ever take Jack Sparling's place in his affections; but he was beginning to regard Mr. Aylmer as a friend, and to love him; and something to love was a great blessing to poor lonely Roger—greater than he knew it to be.
May was a week old, and one Saturday afternoon, Roger was putting up his shutters when some one touched him on the shoulder.
"Oh, Mr. Aylmer! Is that you?"
"It is; and I have come to talk to you. Shall I go down with you to your kitchen, or will you come out for a walk?"
"Whichever you like, sir. If you're not tired, it is pleasanter out than in my kitchen." ”

“ Presently steps were heard; then a voice saying cheerfully, "There, Lina; well done—you have run like a lamplighter. Are you very wet, Celia? Here we are safe at home, and nobody a bit the worse. Hilloa! What's this? Who are you, girl? What are you doing here? Why, Celia, it is Hetty!"
"Hetty!" exclaimed Mrs. Eyre, hurrying forward. "Oh, Hetty! how did this happen? Some one knocked, I suppose, and the door shut of itself; that happened to me once. Oh, my poor little Flo! You should have been more careful, Hetty. John, dear, open the door; you have the latchkey." ”

“ It was Deasy, and his appearance quite confirmed his pitiful tale; he was very ragged, his shoes were in holes, he was very thin, and altogether very unlike the saucy, bright-eyed, Easy Deasy Roger remembered.
"Well, I can't take you on, and you know that as well as I do. You're not able to do a man's work, and I haven't leave to have more than one boy. And Read has the place, and I can tell you he isn't the lad to throw away a chance, as he'd tell you himself." ”

“ Cloudesley, madam; but I will think of what you have said. I am not vexed that you should speak plainly; I like plain speaking. I don't see that you are right, though; and if I did, I doubt that I could change now."
"Shall I tell you how to begin?" said May.
He shook his head; but she went on: "Help some one, be kind to some one who needs kindness; use some of your money to relieve those who need relief; say kind words to some one in sorrow. That's the soil in which you must grow your Christmas roses," she concluded with a smile.
Trulock looked argumentative. ”

“ Betty, I'm ashamed of you! I never can thank you enough, Dr. Wentworth, but I'll serve you faithfully," said the boy, earnestly; and, kneeling down beside a patch of annuals, he began tenderly to pick out minute weeds from among the tiny plants.
"Thin 'em, Fred, thin 'em. You're always too shy of thinning. Leave each plant standing by itself. Yes, that's more like. Doctor, come closer. I wouldn't allow this, but that I don't think it will be for very long. I feel very weak sometimes, and they're all doing well, and now that Fred's provided for, I'm quite ready to go. What is it now, Fred?" ”

“ For awhile these remarks made Hetty very unhappy. Was it true that everybody cared only for number one, and that to love those about you was folly? But reflection brought happier feelings.
"The Bible," said Hetty to herself; "tells us to love one another, and it can't mean only one's own folk, because that comes by nature. And it says to serve faithfully, not for wages only; at least, I think it does. Matty could tell me—she knows where all the nice verses are; and she tries to love every one, I know. I think Mrs. Goodenough has no feelings." ”

“ Is it true, Ruth Golong? Can't you speak, child?"
"Ruth," said Ralph, "I think this noise may waken Ollie; you'd better go and have a look at him."
"Mrs. Short," continued Ralph, "there will be an inquest to-morrow, and Ruth will be the principal witness. So she must not be talked to about the matter now. And Ollie has the measles, ma'am; did you ever have them?"
"Oh yes, when I was a little gel."
"I've known several people have them a second time," remarked Ralph thoughtfully; "and they go hard with people of a full habit, and not so young as they have been." ”

“ But do not build too much upon it, Janet, my darling; I fear it was but too plain that our boys were lost in the Kelmer."
"I have never been able to believe it; and, you see, Mrs. Rayburn has felt the same. But what do you think of doing, Fred?"
"I shall go to England as soon as I can be ready, and go direct to this place, Edgestone, near Cirencester. The truth must be easily ascertained on the spot. My fear is that her conscience, poor soul, being so burthened, she was startled by an accidental likeness—and the name being Frederick, and the young man an adopted son." ”

“ John, dear, I must have a girl; and, to be frank with you, I would rather have Hetty than a stranger. She is so gentle and patient, and so perfectly truthful. She is a really good girl, and it is not so easy to find a really good girl. Besides, Flo is too ill to be reasonable, and she will not like any stranger, because she is longing for Hetty. ”

“ Trulock, let me go to the doctor, or to Mr. Cloudesley; either of them would help you."
"I cannot, Ruthie. I could not take charity, I am a proud man—I fear too proud. Even now I would rather die than accept charity."
Ruth considered for a moment in her grave, childlike wisdom; and then with her usual directness, she said,—
"I think we ought to take help, though, when we really want it. You know the rich are told to help the poor, and so I suppose the poor ought to take the help when they are willing to give it."
"There are plenty to take it," said Ralph. ”

“ He heard voices raised as if in anger, and standing still for a moment to listen, knew that one speaker was Tom Avery and that the other had a voice that he had heard before, though he did not at once recognise it. Avery was saying,—
"No, I won't, indeed. You were the plague of my life before with your cheek and your idleness. I've got a lad in your place that does his work like a man. I'll have no more to say to you,—" here the speaker and his companion came round some carriages which had hidden them from Roger,—"so be off with you, you needn't say another word." ”

“ Lily would have been "suffered" to go to Him. It was a ray of comfort—just a ray of that "Light that lighteth every man"—the first that had shone into Janet's heart. But the rays of that Sun have a most wonderful power of increasing and brightening. Janet soon read her Bible for other things besides a need of comfort. She was not clever, but she had plenty of good sense; and before long, she was a different woman, and her two little boys were carefully taught and trained. ”

“ Why should you not allow men who think well of you to show you a kindness? Why not submit to the failure of your business, and try to find peace here, where there are so many who would be friendly if you would allow them? And Lady Mabel didn't mean her bequest to be used except for the benefit of those to whom she left it."
"I asked Mr. Barton if there was any rule obliging me to spend the money, and he said certainly I might do as I liked," Ralph replied. ”