CHAPTER II.
Many days did not pass away before Edward and Lewis had made themselves pretty well acquainted with the town of Brighton; its principal streets, public buildings, squares, esplanades, &c.
Mr. Ashton was obliged to leave his family sooner than he had anticipated; but the little boys ever found a friend and companion in their affectionate mother, ready to enter into their plans, and assist them in any difficulty.
The children spent much of their time out of doors, but sometimes it happened, that their mamma was not at liberty to accompany them; or, worse than all, the weather would not permit their leaving the house; and there was then little passing in the streets. At such times the question was, “What shall we do to amuse and employ ourselves? If we were at home, we could look at some of the large books of prints in the library, or read some of our own, or play with our historical or geographical games.”
At last mamma thought of a plan, and the boys agreed that it would be a very good one. Edward and Lewis were each provided with a little book, in which they intended to write an account of any thing that interested them, during their stay at Brighton, Mrs. Ashton promising to assist them with any information in her power; and thus they were furnished with amusement and instruction for many a leisure hour. Then came the comparison of the memorandums each had made.
Lewis found Edward had mentioned many things that had never entered his little giddy head; at any rate, he seemed to think them not worth remembering. Perhaps you would have thought Lewis’s history the most entertaining; but then there were many blotted leaves, and sentences left unfinished. Often, when he was seated at the table, intending to write very industriously, the sound of a horn, or of a passing vehicle, would draw him to the window; then he must wait to see the passengers mount, and the coach start: then a gay party on horseback would pass, or a pretty little chaise drawn by a goat, till he found it very difficult to recall his scattered thoughts; and the memorandum-book stood a poor chance of coming in for a share of his attention. He really was sorry, however, when he compared his brother’s neatly written pages with his own, and thought how much more pleasure his papa would have in looking at them.
“Edward,” said he, one day, looking over his brother’s shoulder, “where did you learn all this about the early history of Brighton?”
Edward confessed that he should have known very little about it, if his mamma had not assisted him, and pointed out the accounts in some of the books at the library.
Lewis looked half ashamed; for he recollected that he had had the same opportunity of gaining information.
“Now, Edward,” said he, drawing his chair close to the table, “you shall tell me all you can about it; but I will not promise to write it all in my manuscript book; only the most entertaining things.”