Rainbow Valley by L. M. (Lucy Maud) Montgomery
page 225 of 319 (70%)
page 225 of 319 (70%)
![]() | ![]() |
|
frank. Jerry began to whistle out of bravado. He meant to let
Mary see he didn't care for HER tirades. Their behaviour was no business of HERS anyway. What right had SHE to lecture them on their conduct? "Doing now! You're doing ALL the time," retorted Mary. "Just as soon as the talk about one of your didos fades away you do something else to start it up again. It seems to me you haven't any idea of how manse children ought to behave!" "Maybe YOU can tell us," said Jerry, killingly sarcastic. Sarcasm was quite thrown away on Mary. "_I_ can tell you what will happen if you don't learn to behave yourselves. The session will ask your father to resign. There now, Master Jerry-know-it-all. Mrs. Alec Davis said so to Mrs. Elliott. I heard her. I always have my ears pricked up when Mrs. Alec Davis comes to tea. She said you were all going from bad to worse and that though it was only what was to be expected when you had nobody to bring you up, still the congregation couldn't be expected to put up with it much longer, and something would have to be done. The Methodists just laugh and laugh at you, and that hurts the Presbyterian feelings. SHE says you all need a good dose of birch tonic. Lor', if that would make folks good _I_ oughter be a young saint. I'm not telling you this because I want to hurt YOUR feelings. I'm sorry for you"--Mary was past mistress of the gentle art of condescension." _I_ understand that you haven't much chance, the way things are. But other people don't make as much allowance as _I_ do. Miss Drew |
|