Annette M. Lyster

“ I am the eldest, you know; it is too much for Helen alone, and Agnes is only seven, and Clarice has to be cared for as much as the baby."
"Poor child! I aye pity her the most, for you need only look at her to know she'd help if she could. Well now, Lizzie, I tell you I honour you for feeling like this. You're married to a man that has enough and to spare, and you ought to help. It never struck me before—to my shame I say it—but I see it plain enough now, and I'm the last woman in the world to counsel you to show a cold heart to your own folk. You'd be none the better wife for that. ”

“ Only fancy, Sir Aymer, this overgrown boy of mine wanting to set out on a walking tour with Eustace—my nephew, you know—in Ireland; as if Villiers were fit for such a trying performance!"
"He is as fit for it as any lad of his years," said Sir Aymer; "and it would be a great deal better for him than playing croquet with one Miss Lowther, and doing paintings for another; ay, or listening to Lord Villiers talking rank revolutionism every day after dinner. Go, by all means, boy; I'll give you a cheque—By the way, though, what part of Ireland are they going to?" ”

“ He seemed very fond of you; and to have you there was his own idea, I remember."
"And I love him so much, papa, that even if London kills me, I shall think I have lived long enough, if I have done him good. I shall never be anything but a feeble creature, not good for much—but if I save Guy!" Her eyes filled with sudden tears.
Her father looked at her with a strange expression, and said,—
"Clarice, you are no fool. You know what you are going to. Aymer and Helen realise only what they see, or they would never let you go; but you are different; you do realise it. ”

“ Well may the poet exclaim; and among these stately homes it would be hard to find one statelier than Egerton Highfield. Its grey old walls, close covered by a mantle of ivy, which clings even round the immense chimneys; its fine terrace, with broad steps leading down into a quaint old flower garden, with a huge fountain in the centre, and only separated by a wire fence and a wide ha-ha from an extensive deer park, through which winds one of the approaches to the house; the age and grandeur of the trees, and the extent of the massive buildings, all combine to make this a truly "stately home." ”

“ Which was exactly the reverse of what Guy had said; but Lady Anne really believed that she was speaking the truth.
"But, for pity's sake, why should Sir Aymer conclude that because his son made a fool of himself, I should do the same? There never was any one less fond of low company than I am; and as to marrying beneath me, why, I am not that kind of fellow in the least," said Villiers drawing up his slight person, and looking very dignified.
Lady Anne turned away to conceal a smile.
"You are so like poor Guy that you never allow your grandfather to forget him, my love. ”

“ Lizzie stared. To say your prayers every morning and evening, is one thing; to say that you want a particular thing, and mean to ask for it, is quite another.
"You pray about that, Clarice?" she said, doubtfully.
"I think she's always praying," said Helen, half fondly, half sadly; "and it seems to help her along wonderfully. I wish I were like that, Lizzie. I do get so fretted."
"You can always begin, Nelly," said Clarice, quietly.
She took her crimson-covered Bible from under her pillow, and opened it, finding what she wanted so easily that it was plain the book was no strange volume to her. ”

“ These thoughts made her so silent that Helen, who was helping her to undress, said, "I know you are in pain, Clarice; you have hurt yourself."
"No, indeed. I am only thinking of papa. How he did look at me to-day."
"Because you are like his sister, you know."
"Yes; but he seemed hurt. Perhaps we forget him too much, Helen. He must be very lonely without mother."
"Now, Clarice! He never seemed to know when she spoke to him! And as to us, we might all go to New Zealand to-morrow, and I don't think he would miss us, unless Katty forgot to give him his meals." ”

“ I am Villiers Aymer Egerton."
Clarice forgot her shyness, and looked at him earnestly.
"You are very like Guy. My eldest brother's name is Aymer. I wonder—"
"I know who you are now," he interrupted, eagerly. "Why, this is as good as a play! You must be my uncle Guy's children. I never heard of him till the other day; but I remember now. Am I not right?"
"Yes; at least my father's name is Guy. His father is Sir Aymer Egerton, of Egerton Highfield; is that the same?"
"My venerated grandfather! Then you are my cousin; do shake hands with me! What's your name? ”

“ And what does being lost mean, mother?"
"Being bad and wicked, and not going to heaven."
"But we are not all bad. I dare say papa wants to be saved; but you are good, and so are Lizzie and Helen, and Aymer, and Guy, and Katty. No: perhaps Katty wants saving, for I've heard her swear, and sometimes she tells lies."
"We are all sinners—the Bible says so," Mrs. Egerton answered, helplessly. It was terrible to her to have to answer such questions and to hear such strange remarks.
"I think I am," Clarice said, thoughtfully. "Perhaps it is not right to be cross and to cry and fret and vex you. ”

“ CHAPTER VII. THAT BELOVED BAG!
"NOW then, girls," cried Lizzie, rocking the cradle softly, while the two other girls got each a piece of work to go on with; even Agnes produced a coarse blue sock, and knitted away woman-fully—"now then, girls, tell me everything; and first, how do you get on?"
"Wonderfully, Liz, just wonderfully! Of course, we miss her every day we live, poor Clarice most of all. But then we are always busy, and, somehow, we have got to have a way of looking forward that is a great help, and keeps us going."
"That is Guy's doing," added Clarice. ”

“ No man ever had more reason than I have to thank God for good children; no man ever deserved them less.
"'And now, father, I say farewell, and God bless you!'
"I will try to sign it, Clarice."
"You are very weak to-day," she said, startled to see how difficult he found it to hold the pen.
"I am," he said; "I think I am much weaker. Aymer, is there anything in that to which you object?"
"Nothing, father; I think you have done quite right."
"I have not said anything about your future," Mr. Egerton said, in a low voice. ”

“ She got Aymer to go to E— to make a purchase on which her heart was set, a small Bible, as keepsake for Guy.
"Do read it often, Guy," she said; "and pray about what you read. Though we can't understand all of it, we can find out what is right."
"Clarice, I shall miss you sorely; you have been my guide."
"Oh, nonsense, Guy! How could I guide you? But you have a Guide, you know, a Friend from whom nothing but your own act can part you. He is strong, and He loves you. Oh, don't forget Him, Guy! Cling to Him, never forsake Him." ”

“ I feel full of crossness, and sometimes nearly hate people when I hear them running and jumping. And when baby was born, I hated her, because then you could not nurse me so much; and I hate—"
"Oh, Clarice, be still. It is wrong to hate any one, and I am sure you don't."
"I do sometimes, really. I'm afraid I am not good at all. If I was well and strong, I would be good; so it's not my own fault, after all."
"God will make you good, if you ask Him," Elise said, after a silent struggle. ”

“ He went away, and Helen wrung her hands in dismay.
"Good wine!" she said. "Two and sixpence or three shillings for every bottle! Beef-tea, with beef at tenpence a pound! Oh, Aymer!"
"The 'beloved bag' must do it, Helen. Don't cry, my dear; you can't turn your tears into beef-tea, afraid. Look you, Nell, it's a plain duty, so it must be done. We have the money; he is our father, and so we must not hold back. Guy and Clarice will say just the same." ”

“ Come along, Clarice, and I'll show you where the gipsies were to have lived."
Clarice seized her basket, and off went the two allies; and their pleasant laughter was heard for some time by the grave seniors as they sat quietly on the bank of the river.
"Think of Katty saying such a thing before Guy!" remarked Lizzie. "I wonder if I ought to speak to her. I would tell mother, only it would vex her."
"Leave it alone," growled Aymer. "People will talk, and Guy will find it out for himself soon enough."
"Oh, Aymer! But he's our father!" ”

“ Clarice stroked his cheek and his curly dark hair; she dared not trust her voice to answer him.
Aymer said, "How kind of Villiers! It's a great thing for us all, Guy. I wish you joy, dear old fellow."
Helen stooped and kissed the top of his head, his face not being visible just then.
They had all forgotten their father's presence, until he said,—
"You none of you have the least idea to what a life of temptation and poverty Guy will go—if he goes."
"Poverty, sir!" exclaimed Aymer, startled out of his habit of never addressing his father. "A hundred and fifty pounds a year! ”

“ He put an advertisement in the Post-office window at Kilsteen, offering to make up books and to balance accounts for any one requiring his services, for two and sixpence each. And he has had five or six—which was it, Clarice? Six—to do. And though he had to have a pair of shoes out of it, poor fellow, all the rest went into the bag."
"And how did Guy learn to keep accounts?" asked Lizzie. "For I know it was one thing dear mother never could teach us."
"He studied arithmetic out of a book of papa's," answered Clarice. "There is nothing Guy cannot learn if he can only get a good book." ”

“ When this letter reached Ballintra, the whole family were in the parlour, dinner being just over. Clarice read it, and silently gave it to Helen and Aymer.
Mr. Egerton looked up from his book and asked, "Have you heard from Guy?"
"Yes, papa. Should you like to read it?"
"If you have no objection."
He read it, and gave it back to her, saying slowly, "Poor boy!"
"Father," said Aymer, "tell us what you think. You have lived among men—you must be better able to judge than we can be."
"You know Guy better than I do. Is it certain that this is the whole truth?" ”

“ Clarice sat down,—in fact, Helen pulled her down; and away went the boat. Elise Egerton never saw her pretty Clarice stand upright again.
Primroses were plentiful: Clarice said they were like stars in a dark sky, and Guy, being of a literal turn, said that the sky never was green, that he could see.
"For all that, they are like stars," said Clarice, filling her basket with them as fast as she could; "and I've more stars in my basket than you have, Guy."
"Wait a bit," said Guy. ”

“ Sir Villiers Egerton has visited them twice, coming out in his steam yacht, the "Clarice," bringing them books and pictures, and everything which he thinks will add to their comfort.
A very happy household theirs is, and not the least cheerful and useful of the party is "young Egerton's lame sister," as the scattered neighbours call her. Yet she is still, and will always be, a crippled sufferer; but she holds by her old resolution: she does what she can. ”

“ He cares because his books and papers are no longer put by for him; that's about all he cares, Clarice."
"Oh, Aymer! I thought he looked very sad. Agnes, do you see that green book on the shelf in the corner? That's the book, and here are the papers in my basket. Here, Aggie, run to the study with them."
"But, Clarice, I'm afraid."
"Oh, you need not be a bit afraid, unless you're a little goosie. Run, now; you know you've got to be my feet, because I haven't any of my own." ”

“ He never opens his mouth, except to eat; and indeed of late, he does not eat half enough. I declare, Lizzie, when I see how clever poor Guy is, and remember that papa could teach him all he wants to know, I get quite angry. Only yesterday, Guy asked him a question—something he and Clarice (who is just such another) were puzzling their heads over; and if you will believe me, papa did not even listen, and begged him not to interrupt him again. ”

“ Guy has done nothing wrong. He is our own Guy still, loving and trustworthy. If he had you with him, very little would Tom Price see of him after his work; he and you always had company enough, if you were together over a book. You are well able to get about now, and Frank is no longer a baby. We shall miss you, Clarice—you don't know how much—but you'll be the saving of Guy. ”

“ Just do what you can; you are very useful to me, Clarice; and when you are tired, rest, and don't make yourself miserable. Thou hast but little strength, poor child; thy heart is greater than thy strength. ”

“ But between poverty here and poverty in London there is a great difference. Here, there is no one to spy upon our misery; no one whose wealth and prosperity make our lot the harder by contrast. Here, too, there is little or no temptation. There, every one you meet would be better off, better dressed, better educated than yourself, and your life would be one of great temptation. In your place, Guy, nothing should persuade me to go. ”

“ Aymer is a fool, without an idea in his head beyond hunting and shooting, and he insists upon marrying Lady Anne Villiers—do you remember her?—the daughter of a man I never can get on with for five minutes. I look to you, Guy, to bring honour to the family. I will get you into Parliament, and make a man of you, if you will only use your brains for something practical. ”