Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. AMONG THE COWSLIPS. The insect youth are on the wing, Eager to taste the honeyed spring, And float amid the liquid noon. Some lightly on the torrent skim, Some show their gaily gilded trim, Quick glancing to the sun.—Gray. THOUGH hours were early, the morning meal was not served till so late as really to deserve the title of breakfast. When the three sisters sat down at nine o'clock, in mob caps, and the two younger in white dresses, all had been up at least two hours. Aurelia led forward little Eugene in a tailed red coat, long-breasted buff waistcoat, buff tights and knitted stockings, with a deep frilled collar under the flowing locks on his shoulders, in curls which emulated a wig. She had beenhelping him to prepare " his tasks " from the well- thumbed but strongly-bound books which had served poor Archie before him. They were deposited on the window-seat to wait till the bowls of bread and milk were discussed, since tea and coffee were only a special afternoon treat not considered as wholesome for children ; so that Aurelia had only just been promoted to them, along with powder and a fan. Harriet wore her favourite pistachio ribbon round her cap and as a breast-knot, and her cheeks bore token of one of the various washes with which she was always striving to regain the smoothness of her complexion. Knowing what this betokened, an elder-sisterly instinct of caution actuated Betty to remind her juniors of an engagement made with Dame Jewel of the upland farm for the exchange of a setting of white ducks' eggs for one of five-toed fowls, and to request them to carry the basket. Eugene danced on his chair and begged to be of the party; but Harriet pouted, and asked why the " odd boy" could not be sent. " Because, as you very well know, if he...