Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art, No. 699

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Various. Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art, No. 699

CHARLEY ROSS

THE LAST OF THE HADDONS

LIFE IN ST KILDA

THE TWELFTH RIG

RING LORE

MOTHER GOOSE

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I stood for a few moments watching my strange new acquaintance, rapidly widening the distance between us, then turned thoughtfully homewards again. The story I had just heard had given me something to think of besides my own happiness. Although poor Nancy might be a little too ready to rebel, how hard things had been for her! How much did I, and all women blessed as I, owe to such as Nancy. Well, there would be Philip to help me by-and-by. Surely we two might be able to do something, I thought, my cheeks uncomfortably hot with the consciousness that the existence I had been dreaming of savoured too much of ease and sunshine for two people who professed to desire the highest life. Robert Wentworth would tell me that, and so of course would Philip; and I was glad also to realise, as I did just then, that continued ease and sunshine would pall quite as much upon me as upon either of them. 'I was not to the manner born.'

I had reached the stile, and was absently stepping down on the other side of it, as I afterwards found, stepping so wide of the lower step as to involve an ignominious descent, when I was gently lifted on to terra firma by two strong arms.

.....

'Rather an awkward moment for forgetting where you were; wasn't it?'

'No; yes – yes; of course it was stupid,' I repeated.

.....