E. Nesbit

Name: The Hammer and the Writing-desk
Author: E. Nesbit

The Hammer and the Writing-desk (1907)

Summary

“The Hammer and the Writing-desk”, published in 1907, is a work by E. Nesbit. It explores elements such as Elstead, desk and candlesticks.

Quotes from The Hammer and the Writing-desk (E. Nesbit)

E. Nesbit, The Hammer and the Writing-desk (1907)

“ The gentle reader will now see that that little girl was me, myself.
I always loved the park better than anything. I never cared a straw about going on walks on roads—silly straight things. I liked it all: the trees and the deer and the foreign cattle—as long as they did not come too close with their horns—and the acorns and chestnuts and beechnuts and may-trees and buttercups and daisies and red sorrel. I used to think Elstead Park was the most lovely place in the world, and fit for a king. ”

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Source: Wikisource

E. Nesbit, The Hammer and the Writing-desk (1907)

“ A pair of exceptional Sheffield plate candlesticks will perhaps appeal to those who are insensible to merely sentimental associations. What shall we say for the desk and the candlesticks? A pound to begin, gentlemen?”
Then I saw I must be very quick before some one offered twenty pounds as usual, so I said: “Please may I have it?” Every one laughed, but my man didn’t; and I went on: “I’ve got a pound, and I want it for mother, because it was my daddy’s—and Lord Elstead was my grandfather.” ”

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Source: Wikisource

E. Nesbit, The Hammer and the Writing-desk (1907)

“ I want to buy something at the sale for mother, because Lord Elstead that is dead was my grandfather, only he quarrelled with mother; but his son Charles that died in India was the same as my daddy that died there too, and mother wanted something that belonged to daddy, only we’re poor now because Lord Elstead didn’t leave us any money when he died, and Mr. Egbert isn’t the sort of person to give anything to any one. ”

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Source: Wikisource

E. Nesbit, The Hammer and the Writing-desk (1907)

“ I called out, “because I’ve only got a gold pound, and I do so want the desk.”
Then quite a lot of people called out: “Let the child have it,” and a lot of others said it was a shame, so it was. And I held out my pound, and people passed it up to Thor, and passed the desk down to me, and the candlesticks. And then I forgot that I had my best frock on, and I began to cry. I can’t think what for.
My man was very kind. He said: “There, there! Think how pleased mother will be. And what a brave girl it is to come to an auction all on her own and buy a lot like this at her own price!” ”

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Source: Wikisource

E. Nesbit, The Hammer and the Writing-desk (1907)

“ And because there is much too much money for just us, mother is going to get some other little girls to come and live with us, and play with me and be my sisters, little girls that are poor like mother and me would have been if I hadn’t bought that desk for mother with my golden money-piece. ”

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Source: Wikisource

E. Nesbit, The Hammer and the Writing-desk (1907)

“ Egbert quite often, and he was one of those fair, sleek, smooth people that I don’t like, with little pig’s eyes. They never like me, either.
Then everything was very uncomfortable. Mr. Egbert, who was Lord Elstead now, sent word mother was to go in a month, and there was to be a sale at the Hall. Mr. Egbert was going to let the Hall, and sell the furniture, and go and spend the money in Paris, and at a place called Bridge, where he’d lost a lot of money before. Ellen told me this. ”

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Source: Wikisource

E. Nesbit, The Hammer and the Writing-desk (1907)

“ When the little sisters come, they are going to have ponies too—not white, if they’d rather not, but just any colour they like, even sorrel, which is the ugliest colour in the world for a horse, I always think. ”

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Source: Wikisource

E. Nesbit, The Hammer and the Writing-desk (1907)

“ My man read it too, and his straw-coloured eyebrows went up and down, like as if you were pulling them with elastic, And he laid the paper on the table, and he slapped one of his big knees with one of his big hands, and said: “By George, now! I wouldn’t have missed it for twenty pounds. Little Missy she deserves it—if ever a kid did, asking your pardon, mam, but I’ve got five of my own. Giving up her pound to please you. Talk of sprats to catch salmon,” and a lot more nonsense, but very kind. ”

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Source: Wikisource

E. Nesbit, The Hammer and the Writing-desk (1907)

“ I then sat down beside him, in case he was going to have a fit or anything, so that I could run for the men to take him home on a hurdle and send the best horse in the stables to fetch the doctor. You should always try to be useful if you can. I was not very sorry for him till he kissed me and said: “You’re a good, kind little girl,” and then I was very sorry. ”

E. Nesbit

Summary

Quotes from The Hammer and the Writing-desk (E. Nesbit)

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