The Argosy — page 381: what you’re looking at

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

358 The House of Halliwell. They would each then have 4500, and alas! must look out for themselves, and do the best they could in life. Aunt Copp was as good as her word, and she returned to them on the conclusion of her business in town, and a regular worry she proved to be. Desperately bustling and active, she interfered in everything. Not a bit of crape could they begin to hem, but Aunt Copp would clap on her tortoiseshell spectacles, go peering at it, and find some fault. It was not cut straight, or it was begun at the wrong end, or the hem was not broad enough, and she would whisk it out of their hands, draw out the stitches at one pull, and make them begin it according to her own notions. Not a thing could Hester steal into the kitchen to do, leaving her safe, as she hoped, with Lucy and Mary, but in five minutes she had ferreted her out. Hester was putting too much stuffing in the duck, and Phceby had overboiled the onions ; or—+fhat was not enough jam for the roly- pudding ; and she’d have no salt put in the crust; she hated salt. This was enough to provoke Hester, who was a most efficient seam- stress and housewife, but she had: a calm, patient temper, and bore with it. Phoeby put up with it less equably: Aunt Copp was the worry of her life; and she went one day to Hester’s bedroom in ~ desperation to say that if Mrs. Copp stayed, she should go. Three months of it they had, and then Aunt Copp departed. Mary had been invited to visit Mr. and Mrs. Halliwell at Middlebury, — so her aunt undertook to convey her there, on her way to Liverpool, — where she intended to establish her home. | Mary Halliwell’s stay at Middlebury lengthened into winter, and | then she wrote to say they must not expect her till spring. How- ever, a few days after the receipt of this letter by Hester, they were | surprised by her arrival with Mr. Halliwell. | “Do you know why I have brought her to Seaford?” asked the latter. “Because you were tired of at, ” said Hester; “which I thought | you must have been, weeks ago.” | ‘* Not exactly that. a) Ne Mary has been engaging herself to take» somebody else’s name.’ | Hester and Lucy were too surprised to speak. Mary stood with | her eyes cast down and her cheeks crimson. “And as I look upon you, Hester, somewhat in the light of a — guardian to her,” proceeded Mr. Halliwell, “I thought it my duty | to come and lay the case before you, ere it went any further. Mary | —where’s she gone?” | Mary had escaped from the room. Hester sat down with a sigh. | “There seems nothing but trouble,” she breathed. “Is it a very | unsuitable engagement ?” “Pray, my dear, who said it was unsuitable at all?” smiled Mr. Halliwell. Hester considered. ‘I believe I inferred so from your manner— and Mary’s.” ne | Gomichbooks.com