Then go to the poulterer's, and have a turkey or goose sent to
these addresses."
"Oh, Aunt Mary," exclaimed Ella, aghast, "I daren't choose turkeys, I
don't know anything about them."
"Stuff and nonsense, my dear!" replied her aunt, who had little pity on
ignorance; "it is high time you learnt, then. You had better get a
basket of nice hothouse fruit for the Miss Duquenes; they are as proud
as princesses and as poor as church mice. I don't believe they get half
enough to eat; you must manage to give them some money, somehow."
"Would postal orders do? I could post them in the town, and there is no
need to put any name on them."
"Very well; they are nasty new-fangled things, but I suppose you must
use them; there were no such things when I was young. And do not forget
to go to Miss Alexander's as soon as you can. Dear me! I had no idea
Christmas was so near; she ought to have had her order long ago."
"Is that the queer-looking little lady with blue spectacles?"
"Yes; she used to be a governess, but people think no one can teach
children unless they have certificates and degrees now-a-days, and her
eyesight failed too, so she has to live on a small annuity, but she can
see to knit, and she likes to make a few things to sell when she can.
Pages:
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51