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My little girl, by the authors of 'Ready-money Mortiboy'. (1873)
My little girl by the authors of 'Readymoney Mortiboy' - 1873 Author:Walter Besant Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II. UNDER ordinary circumstances, Lollie," said Venn, on Tuesday morning, when the child came round—" under ordinary circumstances, the middle-ag... more »ed man awakes in the morning with the weary feeling of a day's work before him." He always spoke as if he was oppressed with the duties of labour. " By some unlucky accident, I feel this morning as it the innocent mirth of childhood was back again. I fear nothing. I hope everything. Two courses are therefore open to us." "What two courses?" asked the girl—always watchful of Venn's words, and never quite able to follow the conclusions to which they led him. " I ought, I suppose, to take advantage of this unusual flow of spirits, and write something with the real glow of joy upon it. My works are,perhaps, too uniformly meditative. I dare say you have remarked it." " I think they are beautiful, all of. them," replied the flatterer. " Ah, Lollie, I ought to be a happy man. I have an audience—limited at present, to be sure —which appreciates me. Mohammed had his Cadijah. But there is another course open to us. See the sun upon the leaves of the two trees in the court. Listen to the sparrows chirping with renewed vigour. They know that the hilarious worm will be tempted forth to enjoy the sun. The purring of the basking cat is almost audible if you open the window. The paper boy whistles across the square. The policemen move on with a lighter step. The postman bounds as he walks. The laundresses put off their shawls. Lollie, what do these things mean?" " They mean going into the country, do they not?" she replied, catching his meaning. " They do, child. They mean Epping Forest. We will take the train to Loughton and walk to Epping. They mean a little dinner at the Cock, and a pint of Moselle. They mean strollin...« less