I often think I should like to ask old
Mrs. Hazleby how she felt on her first meeting with her fair
daughter-in-law. They were safe in Ireland when Papa married, and
did not burst upon us in full perfection till Horace's christening,
when the aforesaid little pitcher speech was made.'
'And her daughters?' said Anne, 'I never heard you mention them.'
'Lucy is a nice quiet girl, and a great ally of Helen's, unless she
has cast her off for her new friends at Dykelands,' said Elizabeth;
'she is rather creep-mouse, but has no _other_ fault that I know of.
She is like her father's family, something like Mamma. But as for
Harriet, the eldest, and her mother's darling, you will soon be
sensible of some of her charms. I only hope she will not teaze the
children into naughtiness, as she did last year. I do not know what
would be done if Horace was at home. One day he had a regular battle
with her. It began of course in fun on both sides, but he soon grew
angry, and at last tore her frock and trod pretty hard on her foot.
I could not be sorry for her, she deserved it so completely; but then
poor Horace had to be punished.
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