But the lad died of
consumption, and the girl, whose name was Ivy, for a long time
seemed to be clinging to life with but doubtful tenure. She still
lived, however, and kept her father's house.
Ivy Glazzard cared little for the pleasures of the world--knew,
indeed, scarcely more about them than she had gathered from books.
Her disposition was serious, inclined to a morbid melancholy; she
spent much time over devotional literature, but very seldom was
heard to speak of religion. Probably her father's avowed
indifferentism imposed upon her a timid silence. When the Revivalist
services were being held in Polterham, she visited the Hall and the
churches with assiduity, and from that period dated her friendship
with the daughter of Mr. Mumbray, Mayor of the town. Serena Mumbray
was so uncomfortable at home that she engaged eagerly in any
occupation which could excuse her absence for as many hours a day as
possible. Prior to the outbreak of Revivalism no one had supposed
her particularly pious, and, indeed, she had often suffered Mrs.
Mumbray's rebukes for levity of speech and indifference to the
conventional norm of feminine behaviour. Though her parents had
always been prominent in Polterham society, she was ill-educated,
and of late years had endeavoured, in a fitful, fretful way, to make
amends to herself for this injustice.
Pages:
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80