shawl in which she

had been loosely muffled dropped onto her chair

when she advanced to us; and as she turned to resume her seat, we could

not help noticing that her dress didn’t nearly meet up the back and that

the open space was railed across with a lattice-work of stay-lace—like a

summer-house.

The room, which was strewn with papers and nearly filled by a great

writing-table covered with similar litter, was, I must say, not only very

untidy but very dirty. We were obliged to take notice of that with our

sense of sight, even while, with our sense of hearing, we followed the

poor child who had tumbled downstairs: I think into the back kitchen,

where somebody seemed to stifle him.

But what principally struck us was a jaded and unhealthy-looking

though by no means plain girl at the writing-table, who sat biting the

feather of her pen and staring at us. I suppose nobody ever was in such a

state of ink. And from her tumbled hair to her pretty feet, which were

disfigured with frayed and broken satin slippers trodden down at heel,

she really seemed to have no article of dress upon her, from a pin

upwards, that was in its proper condition or its right place.

‟You find me, my dears,” said Mrs. Jellyby, snuffing the two great

office candles in tin candlesticks, which made the room taste strongly of

hot tallow (the fire had gone out, and there was nothing in the grate but

ashes, a bundle of wood, and a poker), you find me, my dears, as usual, ‟

very busy; but that you will excuse. The African project at present

employs my whole time. It involves me in correspondence with public

bodies and with private individuals anxious for the welfare of their

species all over the country. I am happy to say it is advancing. We hope

by this time next year to have from a hundred and fifty to two hundred

healthy families cultivating coffee and educating the natives of

Borrioboola-Gha, on the left bank of the Niger.”

As Ada said nothing, but looked at me, I said it must be very

gratifyinghad been loosely muffled dropped onto her chair

when she advanced to us; and as she turned to resume her seat, we could

not help noticing that her dress didn’t nearly meet up the back and that

the open space was railed across with a lattice-work of stay-lace—like a

summer-house.

The room, which was strewn with papers and nearly filled by a great

writing-table covered with similar litter, was, I must say, not only very

untidy but very dirty. We were obliged to take notice of that with our

sense of sight, even while, with our sense of hearing, we followed the

poor child who had tumbled downstairs: I think into the back kitchen,

where somebody seemed to stifle him.

But what principally struck us was a jaded and unhealthy-looking

though by no means plain girl at the writing-table, who sat biting the

feather of her pen and staring at us. I suppose nobody ever was in such a

state of ink. And from her tumbled hair to her pretty feet, which were

disfigured with frayed and broken satin slippers trodden down at heel,

she really seemed to have no article of dress upon her, from a pin

upwards, that was in its proper condition or its right place.

‟You find me, my dears,” said Mrs. Jellyby, snuffing the two great

office candles in tin candlesticks, which made the room taste strongly of

hot tallow (the fire had gone out, and there was nothing in the grate but

ashes, a bundle of wood, and a poker), you find me, my dears, as usual, ‟

very busy; but that you will excuse. The African project at present

employs my whole time. It involves me in correspondence with public

bodies and with private individuals anxious for the welfare of their

species all over the country. I am happy to say it is advancing. We hope

by this time next year to have from a hundred and fifty to two hundred

healthy families cultivating coffee and educating the natives of

Borrioboola-Gha, on the left bank of the Niger.”

As Ada said nothing, but looked at me, I said it must be very

gratifying