"Well, I don't want to see a prettier girl that that," said Mrs. Lowndes; "you'll never catch her, working at home or riding along on that handsome little critter of her'n, that she han't a pleasant look and a smile for you, and as pretty behaved as can be. I never see her look sorrowful but once."
"Ain't that a pretty horse?" said Mimy Lawson.
"I've seen her look sorrowful, though," said Sarah Lowndes; "I've been up at the house when Miss Fortune was hustling everybody round, and as sharp as vinegar, and you'd think it would take Job's patience to stand it and for all there wouldn't be a bit of crossness in that child's face she'd go round, and not say a word that wasn't just so; you'd a thought her bread was all spread with honey, and everybody knows it ain't. I don't see how she could do it, for my part: I know I couldn't."
"Ah, neighbour," said Mrs.Vawse, "Ellen looks higher than to please her aunt; she tries to please her God; and one can bear people's words or looks, when one is pleasing Him. She is a dear child!"
"And there's 'Brahm," said Mrs. Van Brunt; "he thinks the hull world of her. I never see him take so to any one. There ain't an airthly thing he wouldn't do to please her. If she was his own child, I've no idee he could set her up more than he does."
"Very well!" said Nancy, coming up "good reason! Ellen don't set him up any, does she? I wish you'd just seen her once, the time when Miss Fortune was a-bed the way she'd look out for him! Mr. Van Brunt's as good as at home in that house, sure enough; whoever's down-stairs."
"Bless her dear little heart!" said his mother.
"A good name is better than precious ointment."
August had come, and John was daily expected home. One morning Miss Fortune was in the lower kitchen, up to the elbows in making a rich fall cheese; Ellen was busy upstairs, when her aunt shouted to her to "come and see what was all that splashing and crashing in the garden." Ellen ran out.
"Oh, Aunt Fortune," said she "Timothy has broken down the fence, and got in."