The Craze of Christina — page 85: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Craze of Christina. $1 Docker, realizing at last that it was impossible to overthrow the proposed entertainment, crumblingly consented to obey his young mas- ter’s orders, He told the cook, indeed, that, as far as he could see, Esselton Hall would soon be turned into an ‘*’ell upon earth’’; such goings on was enough to make the dead turn in their grave, he declared! But when the cook, who was a sensible body, opined that it was the living and not the dead for whom it behooved her to make cakes and confectionery, and that it was there- fore needfui to her to have her kitchen to her- self in order to get on with her work, Mr. Docker gloomily assented, and took himself off in sulky disgust to the seclusion of his own pantry. The invitations, duly written and posted, created a perfect fiutter of excitement in the feminine breastsof Middleshire. Since the on- slaught of the three rival cyclists, Mr. Clifford had religiously denied himself to all visitors, and the rumor had gone forth that he intended to know nobody. It could not always be true that he was “‘out’’ at all hours, so that this line of conduct had not been well received, and the most unfavorable reports had got about con- cerning him, A ‘‘misanthrope’’ and a ‘‘wom- Connicloo KS,ee)