Bad Hugh

With his death there had come a change to the inhabitants of Terrace

Hill. In short it was whispered rather loudly now that the ladies of

Terrace Hill were restricted in their means, that it was harder to

collect a bill from them than it used to be, that there was less display

of dress and style, fewer fires, and lights, and servants, and

withdrawal from society, and an apparent desire to be left to

themselves.

This was what the village people whispered, and none knew the truth of

the whisperings better than the ladies in question. They knew they were

growing poorer with each succeeding year, but it was not the less

mortifying to be familiarly accosted by Mrs. Deacon Briggs, or invited

to a sociable by Mrs. Roe.

How Miss Asenath and Miss Eudora writhed under the infliction, and how

hard they tried to appear composed and ladylike just as they would deem

it incumbent upon them to appear, had they been on their way to the

gallows. How glad, too, they were when their aristocratic doors closed

upon the little, talkative Mrs. Roe, and what a good time they had

wondering how Mrs. Johnson, who really was as refined and cultivated as

themselves, could associate with such folks to the extent she did. She

was always present at the Snowdon sewing circles, they heard, and

frequently at its tea-drinkings, while never was there a sickbed but she

was sure to find it, particularly if the sick one were poor and

destitute.

This was very commendable and praiseworthy, they admitted,

but they did not see how she could endure it. Once Miss Asenath had

ventured to ask her, and she had answered that all her best, most useful

lessons, were learned in just such places--that she was better for these

visits, and found her purest enjoyments in them. To Miss Asenath and

Miss Eudora, this was inexplicable, but Anna, disciplined by years of

ill health, had a slight perception of higher, purer motives than any

which actuated the family at Terrace Hill. On the occasion of little

Mrs. Roe's call it was Anna who apologized for her presumption, saying

that Mrs. Roe really had the kindest of hearts; besides, it was quite

natural for the villagers not to stand quite so much in awe of them now

that their fortune was declining, and as they could not make

circumstances conform to them, they must conform to circumstances.

Neither Asenath nor Eudora, nor the lady mother liked this kind of

conformation, but Anna was generally right, and they did not annihilate

Mrs. Roe with a contemptuous frown as they had fully intended doing.

Mrs. Johnson and her daughter Alice had been present, they heard, the

latter actually joining in some of the plays, and the new clergyman, Mr.

Howard, had suffered himself to be caught by Miss Alice, who disfigured

her luxuriant curls with a bandage, and played at blindman's buff. This

proved conclusively to the elder ladies of Terrace Hill that ministers

were no better than other people, and they congratulated themselves

afresh upon their escape from having one of the brotherhood in thir

family.