The Girl's Own Paper, Vol. VIII, No. 367, January 8, 1887

Vol. VIII.—No. 367.
Price One Penny.
JANUARY 8, 1887.
By ROSA NOUCHETTE CAREY, Author of “Aunt Diana,” “For Lilias,” etc.
“IN A MOMENT THERE WAS A FLUTTERING OF WINGS IN THE AIR.”
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THE LITTLE WORKERS IN BROWN.
ow delicious it is when one is young to wake up in a fresh place on a summer’s morning. It was my belief that the birds woke me, there was such a twittering under the eaves where the house-martins had built their nests, such a warbling of thrushes breakfasting on the dewy lawn, such a cawing of rooks under the elm trees; such a joyous bird-symphony altogether, while I lay in my old-fashioned blue bed, looking round the quaint old room and trying to decipher the meaning of the curious prints in their black frames. When I was tired of this I rose and went to the window. The kitchen garden, with its row of beehives, was just under the window, and beyond were Cherrytree-lane and Squire Hawtry’s cornfield, and then a vague blue line, and a brown sail shimmering in the sunlight. The sweet peacefulness of the scene seemed to sink into my heart, and I could have sung my Te Deum with the birds.
When the children were dressed and we had finished our early breakfast, I went to the window with Reggie while Hannah was clearing the table. Joyce had already climbed up on the window seat; she was wild to go into the garden and see auntie’s pets, and I thought it would be no harm to humour her fancy and defer our walk to the shore.
As we stood there Miss Cheriton came out on the terrace. She wore a broad brimmed hat, and long gardening gloves, and carried a basket. She gave a low, peculiar call, and in a moment there was a fluttering of wings in the air, and a crowd of pigeons came round her feet to pick up the grain she had scattered; the pheasants and peacocks joined them.
I thought what a pretty picture it would have made; the old red brick house with its ivy-covered gables in the background; the terrace with its sundial and antique vases; the girl in her white gown with her beautiful pets round her, her favourite blue pigeons eating out of her hand.