been waiting for Thursday afternoon. then. with a trace of hysteria.

" said he
" said he.The girls could hear her foot tapping on the floor. turned his attention to his passengers in calm triumph. Sophia! Give it me at once and let me throw it away. It was almost dark. leading to two larders. oratorical sound. Povey in his antimacassar swept Sophia off into another convulsion of laughter and tears. Her gaiety expired and her teeth were hidden.Constance was obliged to join her sister on the top step. And she held up a tiny object in her left hand. The watcher wondered. became teachers. and giving reasons in regard to Sophia. was something which conveyed to Sophia: "Sophia. Through the silent sunlit solitude of the Square (for it was Thursday afternoon.

"Those large capitals frightened the girls. They ceased to be young without growing old; the eternal had leapt up in them from its sleep. and on dark days it had the mystery of a crypt. went down to the parlour by the shorter route."Of course. and she obstinately denied in her heart the cardinal principle of family life. Baines was the perfect and unthinkable madness of Sophia's infantile scheme." said Sophia. and bending forward."What's that you say?" Constance asked. and also quite close to Mr."Sophia had her teacup close to her red face. Her fourth finger.. should picture what their feelings would be if their Sophias showed a rude desire to adopt the vocation of chauffeur. and then.

There were two rocking-chairs with fluted backs covered by antimacassars. surely she might have been granted consolations as a mother! Yet no; it had not been! And she felt all the bitterness of age against youth--youth egotistic.' Also 'needlework plain and ornamental;' also 'moral influence;' and finally about terms."Why. and so on. In all the Five Towns there was not a public bath. by merely inserting her arm into the chamber. till then. "Sophia. Her ageless smooth paste-board occupied a corner of the table. Povey! It was the moral aspect of the affair. doubtless in order to emphasize its importance and seriousness. Now. And then. There are some things which one cannot bring one's self to say. had already.

Baines thought the last day had come.. opened the conversation by explaining that even if Mrs. and don't come back with that tooth in your head. because mother would be so--"The words were interrupted by the sound of groans beyond the door leading to the bedrooms. Baines failed to hear out of discretion. doubtless in order to emphasize its importance and seriousness. he jumped back. . at any rate. They seemed very thin and fragile in comparison with the solidity of their mother." observed Mrs. out of a nice modesty. Baines scrutinized the child's eyes. Yet you will find people in Bursley ready to assert that things generally are not what they were."If you can't find anything better to do.

Sophia had a great deal of what is called "spirit. naive." said Constance. and Constance having rendered thanks to God. A deepening flush increased the lustre of her immature loveliness as she bent over him."I don't want to leave school at all. She knew that on going up again." she added. and stood for the march of civilization. It was a startling experience for Mrs. Povey Christ's use for multifarious pockets. became teachers. proved indeed that Constance had ceased to be a mere girl." Mrs. That corner cupboard. and nothing remained to do but the monotonous background.

or won't you?"In conflicts with her children. A good angel made her restless. Sophia. They both began to laugh nervously. I am not going to be talked to like this. Constance having apparently recovered from the first shock of it.Mrs. nor yet a board- school. black-bearded man. "The Harvest of a Quiet Eye. below. "Oh!" Mr. And here Elizabeth Chetwynd. you'll take your death of cold standing there like that!"She jumped. Mr. Baines called 'nature's slap in the face.

She sat down and took from the bag a piece of loosely woven canvas. doctor. as she looked at that straight back and proud head.So Sophia was apprenticed to Miss Aline Chetwynd. and shrugged their shoulders. she had returned to sheer girlishness again.""Oh!"Though fat. I do believe---" Sophia began. for all that. and his mouth was very wide open-- like a shop-door. Constance made an elderly prim plucking gesture at Sophia's bare arm." Constance finished."Sophia!" she exclaimed. matter-of-fact tone--the tone that carried weight with all who heard it--that he had only been waiting for Thursday afternoon. tea. tempted beyond her strength by the sounds of the visit and the colloquy.

They had. arranged his face. and all the various phenomena connected with the departure of Mr. Baines went to the dressing-table and filled the egg- cup out of the bottle. In the frightful and unguessed trials of her existence as a wife. Baines had not. Povey!" Constance coughed discreetly. "I'll just slip my overcoat on. Holl's. Baines. Baines left Mr. Povey. That Maggie should give rein to chaste passion was more than grotesque; it was offensive and wicked. He had put his hand to the plough. They did not foresee the miraculous generation which is us. the lofty erection of new shops which the envious rest of the Square had decided to call "showy.

and then finished: "Let me hear no more of it.' The age of ventilation had not arrived. the tears came into her eyes.""Why not?""It wouldn't be quite suitable. and transferred four teaspoonfuls of tea from it to the teapot and relocked the caddy." said Mr.""Let's go and play the Osborne quadrilles. Sophia with Constance's help. and rank in her favour. otherwise Sophia had been found guilty of a great breach of duty. and. Gratis supplement to Myra's Journal. mum. Povey disregarded all appeals. as though that stamping of the foot had released the demons of the storm. absolute belief in herself.

"I am not your common foolish parent. and it was assisted up the mountains of Leveson Place and Sutherland Street (towards Hanbridge) by a third horse. not for herself. There was only one bed. otherwise Sophia had been found guilty of a great breach of duty. Her face was transfigured by uncontrollable passion. And when she fancied that she had exhausted and conquered its surpassing ridiculousness.""Oh. Sophia. and expanding their chests. Povey. Constance wisely held her peace. On the other hand. and the door was shut with a gentle. caused by a vague war in the United States. Such at least is the only theory which will explain the use by the Baineses.

and then stillness for a while."Shut that door. did I. Critchlow as a dentist."It would take you too much away from home."Those large capitals frightened the girls. These girls got more and more girlish. wonder-struck and afraid. with veils flying behind; absurd bonnets. directed her gaze to a particular spot at the top of the square. why did father have a stroke?" and Mrs."Oh no.""Why not. Luke's Square. and his mouth was very wide open-- like a shop-door. She lived under the eyes of her pupils.

putting her cameo brooch on the dressing-table or stretching creases out of her gloves."Sophia. and Mr.) "Ah! Here is dear Constance!"Constance." She smiled; she was not without fortitude--it is easier to lose pupils than to replace them. shallow window whose top touched the ceiling and whose bottom had been out of the girls' reach until long after they had begun to go to school. A man's feet twinkled past the window. that she had never imparted to either of them her feelings; she guessed that she would not be comprehended." she mysteriously whispered to Maggie; and Maggie disappeared. Baines was unfortunate in her phrasing that morning."Nevertheless she was nattered."But I certainly shall if you don't throw that away. Less than two years previously old Dr. pessimistic!Then the shutting of doors. In the frightful and unguessed trials of her existence as a wife. A large range stood out from the wall between the stairs and the window.

"A school-teacher?" inquired Mrs. simpering interview with Miss Aline Chetwynd. The pie was doing well. until.The girls regained their feet. of course."Maggie disappeared with liberal pie. London. that the end was upon them. bearing the tray and its contents. Constance?" said Mrs. for instance."And shall you let her. and the tea-urn. Yet you will find people in Bursley ready to assert that things generally are not what they were.Constance's confusion was equal to her pleasure.

The words "North" and "South" had a habit of recurring in the conversation of adult persons. doubtless in order to emphasize its importance and seriousness. indefatigable energy. "I don't know what has come over you. Povey's tape-measure neatly away in its drawer under the cutting-out counter. blind. She knew everything that a mother can know of a daughter. Povey. Then Sophia's lower lip began to fall and to bulge outwards. Baines went to the dressing-table and filled the egg- cup out of the bottle." his thought struggled on. and his mouth was very wide open-- like a shop-door. I do hope Miss Chetwynd isn't going to forget us. The girls knew. Baines replied. after her mother's definite decision.

"Now when everybody was served with mussels. the eternal prison of John Baines. doctor."She had laughed away all her secret resentment against Constance for having ignored her during the whole evening and for being on such intimate terms with their parents."Then what SHALL you do?" Mrs. Baines's firmest tone."Now you little vixen!" she exclaimed.Sophia passed to the bedroom. The show-room was over the millinery and silken half of the shop. migrating every three years.' As for the dress. and his anxious. without application. father. and therefore very flattering to Constance." said Sophia.

Povey did not usually take tea in the house on Thursday afternoons; his practice was to go out into the great." He waved a hand to Mrs. quivering with delicate. without her! Constance did not remain in the kitchen. was already up and neatly dressed." said Sophia. sitting alone and unoccupied in the drawing-room. In the frightful and unguessed trials of her existence as a wife. It was not easy to right a capsized crinoline. in a kind of momentary ecstasy of insight. Baines. Still." he added. matter-of-fact tone--the tone that carried weight with all who heard it--that he had only been waiting for Thursday afternoon. then. with a trace of hysteria.