Aunt Judith

Aunt Judith, by Grace Beaumont

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Aunt Judith, by Grace Beaumont This
eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no
restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it
under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this
eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
Title: Aunt Judith The Story of a Loving Life
Author: Grace Beaumont
Release Date: May 14, 2007 [EBook #21432]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AUNT
JUDITH ***

Produced by Al Haines

[Illustration: Started off through the first figure.]

AUNT JUDITH
The Story of a Loving Life

BY
GRACE BEAUMONT

THOMAS NELSON AND SONS
LONDON, EDINBURGH,
DUBLIN, AND NEW YORK

Published 1888, 1910

CONTENTS.
I. A School-girl Quarrel II. Aunt Judith III. Will You have Me for a
Friend? IV. A Talk with Aunt Judith V. A Fallen Queen VI. Winnie's
Home VII. An Afternoon at Dingle Cottage VIII. Forging the First
Link IX. The Christmas Party X. Gathering Clouds XI. It is so hard to
say Good-bye XII. I always speak as I think XIII. Our Sailor Boy XIV.
The Prize Essay XV. How shall I live through the long, long years?
XVI. Light in Darkness XVII. I shall learn to be good now XVIII.
Conclusion

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
Started off through the first figure . . . . . . Frontispiece
"Will you have me for a friend?"
A prostrate figure with white, upturned face
The eyes, wide open, were fixed on the sheets of manuscript before her

AUNT JUDITH.
CHAPTER I.
A SCHOOL-GIRL QUARREL.
"Girls, girls, I've news for you!" cried Winnifred Blake, entering the
school-room and surveying the faces of her school-mates with great
eagerness.
Luncheon hour was almost over, and the pupils belonging to Mrs.
Elder's Select Establishment for Young Ladies were gathered together
in the large school-room, some enjoying a merry chat, others, more
studiously inclined, conning over a forthcoming lesson.
"Give us the benefit of your news quickly, Winnie," said Ada Irvine,
looking round from her snug seat on the broad window-ledge; "surely
we must be going to hear something wonderful when you are so
excited;" and the girl eyed her animated school-fellow half scornfully.
"A new pupil is coming," announced Winnie with an air of great
solemnity. "Be patient, my friends, and I'll tell you how I know. Dinner
being earlier to-day, I managed to get back to school sooner than usual,
and was just crossing the hall to join you all in the school-room, when
the drawing-room door opened, and Mrs. Elder appeared, accompanied
by a lady in a long loose cloak and huge bonnet--regular coal-scuttle
affair, girls; so large, in fact, that it was quite impossible to get a
glimpse of her face. Mrs. Elder was saying as I passed, 'I shall expect
your niece to-morrow morning, Miss Latimer, at nine o'clock; and trust
she will prosecute her studies with all diligence, and prove a credit to
the school.'" Winnie mimicked the lady-principal's soft, plausible voice
as she spoke.
"A new pupil!" remarked Ada once more, her voice raised in supreme
contempt; "really, Winnie, I fail to understand your excitement over
such a trifle. Why, she may be a green-grocer's daughter for all you

know to the contrary;" and the speaker's dainty nose was turned up with
a gesture of infinite scorn.
"Well, and what then, Miss Conceit?" retorted Winnie, flushing angrily
at her school-mate's contemptuous tone; "I presume a green-grocer's
daughter is not exempted from possessing the same talented abilities
which characterize your charming self."
"Certainly not," replied the other with the same quiet ring of scorn in
her voice; "but, pray, who would associate with a green-grocer's
daughter? Most assuredly not I. My mother is very particular with
regard to the circle in which I move."
Winnie swept a graceful courtesy.
"Allow me to express my deep sense of obligation," she said mockingly,
"at the honour conferred on my unworthy self by your attempted
patronage and esteem." Then, changing her tone and raising her little
head proudly--"Ada Irvine, I am ashamed of you--your pride is
insufferable; and my heartiest wish is that some day you may be looked
down upon and viewed with the supreme contempt you now bestow on
those lower (most unfortunately) in the social scale than yourself."
"Thanks for your amiable wish," was the answer, given in that easy,
tranquil voice which the owner well knew irritated her adversary more
than the fiercest burst of passion would have done; "but I am afraid
there is little likelihood of its ever being realized."
Winnie elevated her eyebrows. "Is that your opinion?" she said in
affected surprise, while the other school-girls gathered round, tittering
at the