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Article COUSIN BRIDGET. ← Page 2 of 8 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Cousin Bridget.
The mother was a clean , spruce , pretty little woman , industrious as tlie busy bee , a widow dependent on her own exertions entirely for the support of herself and two children ; and tliis , her eldest , ivas a constant sourceof anxiety and vexation to the hard-working independent woman ; who , possessing an innate horror of idleness , dirt , and stupidity , never ceased trying to scold it out of her child—thus pursuing the worst
possible plan , and making the unfortunate girl ten times worse . The youngest born was the exact reverse of this poor Janej '; and the counterpart of her mother , bright-eyed and pretty , and shrewd and quick , and , of course , tlie darling and the pet- Whatever Peggy did , was sure to he rig ht ; but had Jane done it , it would have been wrong . Jane was three years older than Peggy ; but for sense , the ages might have been reversed .
Tbe move Mrs . Mallet scolded , the more stupid poor Jane became ; and she would stand and stare at her angry parent , with the large tears rolling down her cheeks , totally incapable of understanding her ; but never replying saucily or even appearing angry . Every act of stupidity she made a point of proclaiming with a laugh , as though she had done something very clever ; till an unpleasant reminder , iifnho shape of a
severe box on the ear , showed her her mistake . This unwise treatment was doing the poor g irl incalculable mischief , when a brig ht ray of sunshine came into the village , to dissipate the clouds hanging over her life , in the shape of a lovely human beingthe before-mentioned Minna Westrop . She was the only daughter of a once-wealthy city tradesman ; but misfortunes had fallen on him , and failure after failure had broken his spirit and his heart ; and at length poor Westrop diedleaving his
, young daughter without money or friends—for the loss of one was followed by the loss of tlie other , as a natural consequence ; and poor Minna , when the dream of painful excitement was over , and she woke up , as it were , to the knowledge that her father was in the still grave and she was alone on earth , gazed wildly into the face of the pitying - servant , who had lived with them many years , and said , in a low voice of deep despair
, " Hester ! what is to become of me ? " The silent shake of tbe head , told a sad talc of hopelessness ; but , ere Minna could recal her senses sufficiently to arrange any plan for the future , the faithful Hester placed a letter in her hand , with a deep black border and seal , in an unknown hand writing , ivhich , opening eagerly , Minna read as follows : —
In consequence of the ileath of Mr . Westrop , Bridget MacTai-ish believes you are without protection ; if sueli is tlie fact site , Bridget MacTavisli ( ulio is your mother ' s first cousin ) will take charge of you during her life ; mill in ease of your good conduct during your stay with her , will , at her death , leave you amply provided for . Should you consider this offer worth your acceptance , you must eome immediately hy the coach to Hartleigh , about fourteen miles from London ; and which coach passes Bridget MacTavish ' s door nt six o ' clock on Mondays , Wednesdays , and Saturdays—dropping aline previously , to 'Bridget MacTavisli , The Cottnge , IJartleigh , ' stilting which of those days she may expect you . The coach starts at five o ' clock from tlie Bull and Mouth ; fare , two-and-sixpeiice . "BHIDGET MACTAVISH . "
Such was the curious epistle which , through her blinding- tears , Minna read to Hester ; and earnestl y did tiie recommend her to accept the strange offer .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Cousin Bridget.
The mother was a clean , spruce , pretty little woman , industrious as tlie busy bee , a widow dependent on her own exertions entirely for the support of herself and two children ; and tliis , her eldest , ivas a constant sourceof anxiety and vexation to the hard-working independent woman ; who , possessing an innate horror of idleness , dirt , and stupidity , never ceased trying to scold it out of her child—thus pursuing the worst
possible plan , and making the unfortunate girl ten times worse . The youngest born was the exact reverse of this poor Janej '; and the counterpart of her mother , bright-eyed and pretty , and shrewd and quick , and , of course , tlie darling and the pet- Whatever Peggy did , was sure to he rig ht ; but had Jane done it , it would have been wrong . Jane was three years older than Peggy ; but for sense , the ages might have been reversed .
Tbe move Mrs . Mallet scolded , the more stupid poor Jane became ; and she would stand and stare at her angry parent , with the large tears rolling down her cheeks , totally incapable of understanding her ; but never replying saucily or even appearing angry . Every act of stupidity she made a point of proclaiming with a laugh , as though she had done something very clever ; till an unpleasant reminder , iifnho shape of a
severe box on the ear , showed her her mistake . This unwise treatment was doing the poor g irl incalculable mischief , when a brig ht ray of sunshine came into the village , to dissipate the clouds hanging over her life , in the shape of a lovely human beingthe before-mentioned Minna Westrop . She was the only daughter of a once-wealthy city tradesman ; but misfortunes had fallen on him , and failure after failure had broken his spirit and his heart ; and at length poor Westrop diedleaving his
, young daughter without money or friends—for the loss of one was followed by the loss of tlie other , as a natural consequence ; and poor Minna , when the dream of painful excitement was over , and she woke up , as it were , to the knowledge that her father was in the still grave and she was alone on earth , gazed wildly into the face of the pitying - servant , who had lived with them many years , and said , in a low voice of deep despair
, " Hester ! what is to become of me ? " The silent shake of tbe head , told a sad talc of hopelessness ; but , ere Minna could recal her senses sufficiently to arrange any plan for the future , the faithful Hester placed a letter in her hand , with a deep black border and seal , in an unknown hand writing , ivhich , opening eagerly , Minna read as follows : —
In consequence of the ileath of Mr . Westrop , Bridget MacTai-ish believes you are without protection ; if sueli is tlie fact site , Bridget MacTavisli ( ulio is your mother ' s first cousin ) will take charge of you during her life ; mill in ease of your good conduct during your stay with her , will , at her death , leave you amply provided for . Should you consider this offer worth your acceptance , you must eome immediately hy the coach to Hartleigh , about fourteen miles from London ; and which coach passes Bridget MacTavish ' s door nt six o ' clock on Mondays , Wednesdays , and Saturdays—dropping aline previously , to 'Bridget MacTavisli , The Cottnge , IJartleigh , ' stilting which of those days she may expect you . The coach starts at five o ' clock from tlie Bull and Mouth ; fare , two-and-sixpeiice . "BHIDGET MACTAVISH . "
Such was the curious epistle which , through her blinding- tears , Minna read to Hester ; and earnestl y did tiie recommend her to accept the strange offer .