Dear old Margery, it was a heart-breaking thing
when she went away, to all from Winifred upwards, and to none more
than to me, who could remember those two melancholy years when she
often seemed my only friend, when I was often naughty and Papa angry
with me, and I feeling motherless and wretched, used to sit on her
lap and cry. Dear old Margery, it is a shame to abuse her in spite
of the mischief her over-kindness did us all. Well, when our new
maid came, on the supposition that Miss Woodbourne took care of her
own clothes, she never touched them; and as Margaret's work was not
endowed with the fairy power of lasting for ever, I soon grew as
ragged as any ragged-robin in the hedge. Mamma used to complain of
my slovenliness, but I am afraid I was naughty enough to take
advantage of her gentleness, and out-argue her; so things grew worse
and worse, till at last, one fatal day, Papa was aware of a great
hole in my stockings. Then forth it all came; he asked question
after question; and dear kind Mamma, even more unwilling to expose me
than I was myself, was forced to answer, and you may suppose how
angry he was.
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