THE GIRL’S OWN PAPER
Vol. XX.—No. 1019.]
[Price One Penny.
JULY 8, 1899.
[Transcriber’s Note: This Table of Contents was not present in the original.]
SHEILA’S COUSIN EFFIE.
VARIETIES.
THE HOME OF THE EARLS POULETT.
LESSONS FROM NATURE.
THE COURTSHIP OF CATHERINE WEST.
THE PLEASURES OF BEE-KEEPING.
THE HOUSE WITH THE VERANDAH.
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.
SHEILA’S COUSIN EFFIE.
A STORY FOR GIRLS.
By EVELYN EVERETT-GREEN, Author of “Greyfriars,” “Half-a-dozen Sisters,” etc.
“‘A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU.’” (See page 643.)
All rights reserved.]
CHAPTER XIV.
CHRISTMAS TIME.
merry Christmas,Miss Cossart!Why, youdon’t mean to sayyou are not comingto church! Ithought you’d besure to make afresh start onChristmas Day!”
“Oh, I’m a regularheathen! Ihaven’t been to churchtwice the whole year!I can’t stand stuffyplaces, and I expectthe scent of the flowerswill make it twice asbad as usual to-day.”
“Well, you’re coming anyway, MissCholmondeley? Shall we start? It’llbe hot walking, and I hate thatomnibus, and the carros are so slow.Come along. Miss Cossart will tell themthat we’ve started.”
Sheila hung back a moment; she hadan instinct that her aunt would be vexed,but she never knew how to refuseRonald’s suggestions, made in a halfmasterful, half-pleading way. He tookher prayer-book and walked off besideher, whilst Effie looked after them witha rather stormy light in her eyes.
“Does she really never come tochurch?” asked Ronald, as they tooktheir way along the sunny road together.
“She has only been once or twicesince I have known her,” answeredSheila. “She thinks the air mightbring on asthma.”
Ronald was silent for a few minutes,swinging his stick. His face was rathergraver than its wont.
“Somehow I don’t like to see peoplestaying away from church like that. Iknow it isn’t fashionable to s