Search -
The mine; or, Darkness and light, by A.L.O.E.
The mine or Darkness and light by ALOE Author:Charlotte Maria Tucker 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 III. THE MINK AND THE SCHOOL. ARTHUR, I wish that you would come here and help me," called the soft, childish voice of Phemie, one morning a f... more »ew days after the conversation which we related in the last chapter. " Where are you?" replied her brother, as he descended the long creaking stairs which led from his room. " Here—in the greenhouse ; we shall have a half hour before the bell rings; I want to do something for my garden." " Do you call this a greenhouse ! " cried Arthur very contemptuously, as he stepped from the staircase window into the dull, dusty framework of what mightonce have deserved such a name. " Why, there's not one whole pane of glass left in it: the cobwebs don't serve well instead ! " (265) 3 " You must not grumble on this lovely spring morning," said Phemie, cheerfully; "if there's no glass in the greenhouse there's nothing to prevent the sweet breeze of May from blowing in." " Greenhouse !" repeated Arthur, without replying to her observation, " when there is not a single green thing in it!—nothing but a few empty old flower-pots ! " and he kicked one over with his foot. " Oh ! pray don't do that! " cried Phemie; " these pots are just what I am building my plans upon. I thought that you would kindly carry them for me into my garden. I have a little packet of flower- seeds sent me by dear cousin Miller; we will plant them, and then by the autumn we shall have sweet peas and convolvulus." "You can never have a garden where the soil is so wretched," said Arthur; " everything would be stunted and miserable here." " There is a great deal in making the best of it. Perhaps if you would dig a little—" "Phemie," said Arthur, rather proudly, "when I take to digging, it shall be where I know that my labour is to some purpo...« less