Neighbours

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1889 Excerpt: ...morning I am going to recruit again, and we are writing out little invitations to leave for the girls who have already promised. We are wondering if you and your sisters have got any. I was half expecting a letter from you, and I would have gone to see you, but we have been very busy the last day or two. Vanda and I hope however to go and see you on Saturday afternoon." This letter was read with very different feelings from those with which it had been written. "It is too bad--really too bad of Lavinia not to let us join them," said Susie, her face burning with vexation, her eyes smarting with the tears she had already shed over her disappointment. "I wish you cared about it, Catherine. I don't believe you do at all." "I do indeed. I was quite delighted when you came home and told us about it. You know I was," said Catherine. "But of course Lavinia knows best. I haven't seen THIS LETTER WAS READ WITH VERY DIFFERENT FEELINGS FROM THOSE WITH WHICH IT HAD BEEN WRITTEN. I don't want to make friends with affected, fashionable girls who just take up benevolent work, as Lavinia says, as "a new sensation to amuse themselves." We should be so laughed at too! People would say we had just taken it up because we thought the Jeromes grand, for you know we have never gone in for that sort of thing ourselves." "No, indeed," said Susie, bitterly. "I wouldn't care a straw for what people said" observed Emily. "I think that's a very low idea, Cathie. But I quite agree with Lavinia in thinking the whole thing a piece of absurdity. The Leaford girls have done very well without being taught dressmaking hitherto. It would only turn their heads. And as sister says, if the Miss Jeromes are so shocked a...