Read Online L. Frank Baum_Aunt Jane 01 by Aunt Jane's Nieces - Free Book Online
Authors: Aunt Jane's Nieces
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brother John was extraordinary.
"Another thing," he said, hesitating.
"Well?"
"You'd better not say you met me, you know. It wouldn't be a good
introduction. She hates me as much as I hate her."
"Very good, my lad. I'll keep mum."
The boy nodded, and turned away to lead Nora to the stable. The man
looked after him a moment, and shook his head, sadly.
"Poor boy!" he whispered.
Then he walked up to the front door and rang the bell.
Chapter XI - The Mad Gardener
*
"This seems to be a lazy place," said Louise, as she stood in the
doorway of Beth's room to bid her good night. "I shall sleep until
late in the morning, for I don't believe Aunt Jane will be on
exhibition before noon."
"At home I always get up at six o'clock," answered Beth.
"Six o'clock! Good gracious! What for?"
"To study my lessons and help get the breakfast."
"Don't you keep a maid?"
"No," said Beth, rather surlily; "we have hard work to keep
ourselves."
"But you must be nearly through with school by this time. I finished
my education ages ago."
"Did you graduate?" asked Beth.
"No; it wasn't worth while," declared Louise, complacently. "I'm sure
I know as much as most girls do, and there are more useful lessons to
be learned from real life than from books."
"Good night," said Beth.
"Good night," answered the older girl, and shut the door behind her.
Beth sat for a time moodily thinking. She did not like the way in
which her cousin assumed superiority over her. The difference in
their ages did not account for the greater worldly wisdom Louise
had acquired, and in much that she said and did Beth recognized a
shrewdness and experience that made her feel humbled and, in a way,
inferior to her cousin. Nor did she trust the friendship Louise
expressed for her.
Somehow, nothing that the girl said seemed to ring true, and Beth
already, in her mind, accused her of treachery and insincerity.
As a matter of fact, however, she failed to understand her cousin.
Louise really loved to be nice to people, and to say nice thing's. It
is true she schemed and intrigued to advance her personal welfare and
position in life; but even her schemes were undertaken lightly and
carelessly, and if they failed the girl would be the first to laugh at
her disappointment and try to mend her fortunes. If others stood in
her way she might not consider them at all; if she pledged her word,
it might not always be profitable to keep it; but she liked to be on
pleasant terms with everyone, and would be amiable to the last, no
matter what happened. Comedy was her forte, rather than tragedy. If
tragedy entered her life she would probably turn it into ridicule.
Wholly without care, whimsical and generous to a degree, if it suited
her mood, Louise Merrick possessed a nature capable of great things,
either for good or ill.
It was no wonder her unsophisticated country cousin failed to
comprehend her, although Beth's intuition was not greatly at fault.
Six o'clock found Beth wide awake, as usual; so she quietly dressed
and, taking her book under her arm, started to make her way into the
gardens. Despite Louise's cynicism she had no intention of abandoning
her studies. She had decided to fit herself for a teacher before Aunt
Jane's invitation had come to her, and this ambition would render it
necessary for her to study hard during vacations.
If she became an heiress she would not need to teach, but she was not
at all confident of her prospects, and the girl's practical nature
prompted her to carry out her plans until she was sure of the future.
In the hall she met Phibbs, shuffling along as if in pain.
"Good morning, miss," said the old servant.
Beth looked at her thoughtfully. This was Aunt Jane's special and
confidential attendant.
"Do your feet hurt you?" she asked.
"Yes, miss; in the mornin' they's awful bad. It's being on 'em all the
day, 'tendin' to Miss Jane, you know. But after a time I gets more
used to the pain, and don't feel it. The mornin's always the worst."
She was
"Another thing," he said, hesitating.
"Well?"
"You'd better not say you met me, you know. It wouldn't be a good
introduction. She hates me as much as I hate her."
"Very good, my lad. I'll keep mum."
The boy nodded, and turned away to lead Nora to the stable. The man
looked after him a moment, and shook his head, sadly.
"Poor boy!" he whispered.
Then he walked up to the front door and rang the bell.
Chapter XI - The Mad Gardener
*
"This seems to be a lazy place," said Louise, as she stood in the
doorway of Beth's room to bid her good night. "I shall sleep until
late in the morning, for I don't believe Aunt Jane will be on
exhibition before noon."
"At home I always get up at six o'clock," answered Beth.
"Six o'clock! Good gracious! What for?"
"To study my lessons and help get the breakfast."
"Don't you keep a maid?"
"No," said Beth, rather surlily; "we have hard work to keep
ourselves."
"But you must be nearly through with school by this time. I finished
my education ages ago."
"Did you graduate?" asked Beth.
"No; it wasn't worth while," declared Louise, complacently. "I'm sure
I know as much as most girls do, and there are more useful lessons to
be learned from real life than from books."
"Good night," said Beth.
"Good night," answered the older girl, and shut the door behind her.
Beth sat for a time moodily thinking. She did not like the way in
which her cousin assumed superiority over her. The difference in
their ages did not account for the greater worldly wisdom Louise
had acquired, and in much that she said and did Beth recognized a
shrewdness and experience that made her feel humbled and, in a way,
inferior to her cousin. Nor did she trust the friendship Louise
expressed for her.
Somehow, nothing that the girl said seemed to ring true, and Beth
already, in her mind, accused her of treachery and insincerity.
As a matter of fact, however, she failed to understand her cousin.
Louise really loved to be nice to people, and to say nice thing's. It
is true she schemed and intrigued to advance her personal welfare and
position in life; but even her schemes were undertaken lightly and
carelessly, and if they failed the girl would be the first to laugh at
her disappointment and try to mend her fortunes. If others stood in
her way she might not consider them at all; if she pledged her word,
it might not always be profitable to keep it; but she liked to be on
pleasant terms with everyone, and would be amiable to the last, no
matter what happened. Comedy was her forte, rather than tragedy. If
tragedy entered her life she would probably turn it into ridicule.
Wholly without care, whimsical and generous to a degree, if it suited
her mood, Louise Merrick possessed a nature capable of great things,
either for good or ill.
It was no wonder her unsophisticated country cousin failed to
comprehend her, although Beth's intuition was not greatly at fault.
Six o'clock found Beth wide awake, as usual; so she quietly dressed
and, taking her book under her arm, started to make her way into the
gardens. Despite Louise's cynicism she had no intention of abandoning
her studies. She had decided to fit herself for a teacher before Aunt
Jane's invitation had come to her, and this ambition would render it
necessary for her to study hard during vacations.
If she became an heiress she would not need to teach, but she was not
at all confident of her prospects, and the girl's practical nature
prompted her to carry out her plans until she was sure of the future.
In the hall she met Phibbs, shuffling along as if in pain.
"Good morning, miss," said the old servant.
Beth looked at her thoughtfully. This was Aunt Jane's special and
confidential attendant.
"Do your feet hurt you?" she asked.
"Yes, miss; in the mornin' they's awful bad. It's being on 'em all the
day, 'tendin' to Miss Jane, you know. But after a time I gets more
used to the pain, and don't feel it. The mornin's always the worst."
She was
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