Ethel Turner

“ At the end of the first week Miss Emmerton pointed out to the parents that all her time seemed "over." She was conscientious by nature, and £70 a year seemed to her a large enough sum to require honest earning. Seven whole days had drifted by, and all the work to show was a copy done by Mena and a reduction sum, wildly incorrect, by Tiny. The three boys she had been absolutely unable to catch. Tiny had had four headaches, and Mena toothache five times, and had obtained permission from their mother to ask the governess to read stories to them instead of doing lessons. ”

“ The matron shook her head.
"Mismanagement has many tools, but good nature is the handle for them all," she said sententiously.
The girl was quite contented, however, and within a week was setting forth on her four hundred miles journey.
Mr. Shannon himself was there to meet her; forty miles by the road he had come to the place the coach passed. He was tall, thin, brown, commonplace-looking; when he was perturbed he rubbed his left eyebrow. Shyness invariably made him monosyllabic.
As they drove along Miss Emmerton tried conscientiously to interest him and be interested. ”

“ He could only do subtraction like Tom.
But Mena and Tiny burst in excitedly to bring his veracity into question.
It was an awful cram, they said. Miss Jones had taught him decimals; he used to do them well.
"I never," said Jim.
"You did," they cried.
"Say I'm a liar!" said Jim, excitement on his face.
"You're a l——." The girls remembered their governess's ears. "You're a great big story. We'll tell pa. You've done lots of decimals. If three men build a brick wall in five days, how many houses can A and B build—that sort, hasn't he, George?" ”

“ Shannon laughed at her.
"Where's the hurry?" she said. "You'll fall ill if you're so energetic this weather. Do you know it is 115 degrees in the back verandah shade this morning? The quarter's only just started, my dear; it won't hurt any of you to have a little more holiday." ”

“ It was something of a shock to the girl to find three beds in the room to which she was taken.
"Mena and Tiny have to sleep here with you," Mrs. Shannon said, regret in her voice. "It's a shame that we can't give you a place to yourself, but it won't be for long, my dear; Mr. Shannon has promised to build us a nice big place soon."
While the girl washed and laid aside her things she went away. Returning presently with some dinner, the governess noticed that her face was heated and a-shine with good-will ”

“ Jim kicked out sideways and secretly, and caught his brother in a tender place on the leg. The next minute they were fighting. From the eminence of the corn sack little Tom applauded them both.
"Go it!" he yelled; "nib it in, Porgie; hit his nose, Jimmie; give him one in the eye, Porgie."
Miss Emmerton looked on helplessly for a minute or two; the room seemed full of corn dust and the bounding and banging of two sturdy figures.
Mena and Tiny took it philosophically. "It's awful, isn't it?" they said; "still it's better to let them have it out—Miss Jones always did ”

“ The longest-living author of this work died in 1958, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 64 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works. ”