Modern Broods | Page 7

Vera.
"Your nearest church," cried Paulina.
"Up in the wilds," said Agatha.
Magdalen felt as if these speeches were so many drops of water in her
face and that of her beautiful Goyle, but she rose in its defence.
"It actually is less than three miles," she said. "I have walked it several
times, and the cabs only charge three."
"That is testimony," said Mrs. Best, smiling; "but hills, perhaps, reckon
for miles in one's feelings!"
"Particularly before you are rested," said Magdalen, setting her down in

a comfortable wicker chair. "You will think little of it on your own feet,
Vera, and the church is much nearer, Paulina, only on the other side of
the hill."
"May I have a bicycle of my own?" burst in Thekla, again; while every
one began laughing, and Agatha told her that Sister would think her
brains were cycling.
"With centric and concentric scribbled o'er Cycle and epicycle orb in
orb."
"Epicycle?" cried Vera. "I saw it advertised in the Queen. A splendid
one."
"Ah! Magdalen, you will think I have not taught them their Milton,"
said Mrs. Best, as both elders burst out laughing; and Agatha said, in an
undertone, "Don't make yourself such a goose, Vera."
"I should think it rather rough sailing for bikes," said Paulina.
"I should have thought so, myself," returned Magdalen; "but the
Clipstone girls do not seem to think so. I see them sailing merrily into
Rockstone."
"You have neighbours, then?" said Vera.
"Certainly. Rockstone supplies a good deal. Here are various cards of
people whose visits are yet to be returned. Clipstone is further off; but
the daughters will be nice friends for you. I met one of them before,
when she was staying at Lord Rotherwood's. But I am afraid your
boxes are hardly come yet. Still, you will like to take off your things
before dinner, even if you cannot unpack."
She led the way, and disposed of each girl in her new quarters,
explaining to Agatha that her's and her little lodger were only
temporary; but it struck upon her rather painfully that the only word of
approbation or comfort came from Mrs. Best, and there were no notes
at all of admiration of the scenery.
"Well," she said to herself, "much is not to be expected from people
who have been tired and shaken up in a station cab over newly-mended
roads! Were they as bad when I came? But then I could look out, and
did not hear poor Sophy's groans all the way. I rather wish she had not
come with them, though I am glad to see her again for this last time."
Meantime the four girls had congregated in the room appropriated to
Vera and Paulina. "Here are the necessaries of life," said Agatha,
handing out a brush and comb. "That slow wain may roll its course in

utter darkness before it comes here."
"To the other end of nowhere," said Vera.
"And I am so tired," whined Thekla. "These tight boots do hurt me so! I
want to go to bed."
Paulina was already on her knees, removing the boots and
accommodating a pair of slippers to the little feet.
"We might as well be in a desert island," continued Vera, "shut up from
everything with an old frump."
"Take care," said Agatha, in warning, signing towards Thekla.
"I am sure she looks jolly and good-natured," said Paulina.
"But did you hear what Elsie Lee always calls her, 'our maiden aunt'?"
All three laughed, and Vera added, "All the girls say she can't be less
than fifty."
"Topsy! You know she is only sixteen years older than I am."
"Well, that's half a hundred!"
"Sixteen and nineteen, what do they make?"
"Oh, never mind your sums. She has got the face and look of half a
hundred!"
"Now, I thought her face and her dress like a girl's," said Paulina.
"Yes," said Vera, "that's just the way with old maids. They dress
themselves up youthfully and affect girlish airs, and are all the more
horrid."
"That's your experience!" said Agatha. "But there's the waggon
creeping up at a snail's pace. "Let us run down and see after our
things."

CHAPTER III
--THE FIRST SUNDAY

"Speed on, speed on, the footpath way, And merrily hunt the stile-a; A
merry heart goes all the way, A sad tires in a mile-a." -
SHAKESPEARE.
Sunday morning rose with new and bright hopes. The girls looked out
at their window, and saw that it was a beautiful morning, and that the
spring sunshine glowed upon the purple summits of the hills. Agatha
supposed there would be a pleasant walk to church; Paulina said she

had heard good accounts of the services in that part of the country;
Vera hoped that they