i f6c06dd9cf3fe221 by Unknown (100 books to read in a lifetime .txt) 📗

the moment Kate was not the mother of a year-old child, she was an eighteen-year-old girl, wearing the first new clothes of her life.

"She's sent you a Christmas box, ma, but you're not getting it until tomorrow. And material to make dresses for Annie; oh, and heaps of other things 1' " Ee, Kate! " was all Sarah could utter, for the tears were choking her her Kate to be dressed so ... like ... like the class: and shed never seen any of the class look half so lovely as Kate did.

Oh, she was beautiful, beautiful.... Thank God Tim was upstairs.

"You won't half make the tongues wag in the fifteen streets when they see you in the rig-out, Kate.... I think you've fallen on your feet in that place, lass."

"Oh, I have, Mrs. Mulleni Miss Tolmache is wonderful; and so is Master Rex, and Master Bernard. But, here I am, ma'--she turned to her mother--'talking about my clothes and forgetting all about Annie. How is she?" Kate knelt down by the clothes-basket.

"Now leave her be, Kate, and let her sleep, for she's the devil's own imp when she's up," said Sarah.

Kate gazed down at the sleeping baby; the dark lashes lay up curled from the pink cheeks, the silver hair gleamed on the pillow. A rush of feeling, so intense as to be suffocating, swept through Kate; her thoughts encircled her, shutting out all but her desire. John 1 John!

If you could only see her; she's so like you. Oh, where are you?

I must know whether you are at home. I won't make any claim on you, I'll never mention marriage; only I must see you, I must show her to you. I've got a whole week. I'll phone the Jackson's today, they'll know if you're back; you said about eighteen months. And when you see me in my new clothes, and see how different I am in other ways, too.

"My God, listen to that!" exclaimed Mrs. Mullen. in a hoarse whisper, as a hullabaloo sounded through the thin wall of the kitchen.

"Cowboys and Indians! ... Oh, Sarah, hinny, I must be off. See you later, lass." She patted Kate's shoulder as she hurried out.

"Come on, lass, get your things off and have a cup of tea," said Sarah.

"Never mind the tea, ma," said Kate, getting up; 'just look what I've brought. Clear the table. "

She took off her hat and coat, and lifted the case on to the corner of the table. When it was opened Sarah exclaimed, in amazement, "But, hinny, she didn't give you. all that stuff?" ;

"She did, ma. Look! A chicken, tinned peaches, a tongue, a box of cheese'--Kate named each artide as she took it out of the case--'dates, a pudding, a cake...."

"You're sure she gave you them all, Kate?"

Ma! "

"Oh, I'm sorry, lass. I know you wouldn't touch anything that didn't belong to you; it's only I can't imagine anybody so good."

36 i

"Yes," said Kate, stopping the process of emptying the case and staring, unseeing, at the picture of Lord Roberts hanging on the wall above the chiffonier; 'it took me a long time to get used to it. At first I couldn't believe that anyone could be so kind and not want something back. I feel terrified, ma, when I think they'll soon die; Miss Tolmache is the youngest, and she's seventy 1' "But the old gentleman must be hale and hearty to look after greenhouses and grow bulbs like them," Sarah pointed to the windowsill.

"Oh, yes; they are all very healthy, but some day they must die," said Kate.

"Oh, lass, don't be so mournful. There they are, off to Newcastle to spend their Christmas in an hotel so as to see a bit of life, and you talk of them dying. Folk like that seem far from dying to me."

"Yes, I suppose so; this is the tenth Christmas they've spent in that hotel. You know, ma, when I set them to the the train this morning they waved to me just like three schoolchildren.... Do you think money keeps you young, ma?"

"I don't know, lass; I only know that work and worry can make you old before your time. But, hinny, don't let's get doleful."

Sarah looked hard at her daughter. There was something different about her Kate; it wasn't only that she was taller, it was her manner, and the things she said, and the way she said them. Kate gave her part of the explanation in her next words: "I haven't told you, ma, but I've been having lessons."

"Lessons?" queried Sarah.

"Yes, from Master Bernard. I've had an hour each night. He's teaching me English, how to read and write it, and how to speak it."

"But, lass, you can read and write better than the next, and you've always talked better than them around these doors."

"But, ma, this is different; I'm learning grammar ... nouns and pronouns, adjectives and adverbs...."

"Adjectives and adverbs!" Sarah looked at her daughter in amazement.

"But what good is it going to do you,

hinny? Don't let them put ideas into your head, lass ,. you've got to work for your living. "

"Oh, ma, don't worry." Kate smiled tenderly at her mother, and touched her rough cheeks with her fingers.

"It's only that you can understand things better when you can read properly and when you know what books to read.... Look!" She went to her purse and took out two sovereigns.

"One from Master Bernard with which to buy books ... he says he'll know how much I've learned by my choice of books ... and the other from Master Rex, who says I've to stuff myself with chocolates and to forget about the books."

"Two pounds! Oh, lass!"

"Yes, ma; and here's one of them