This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1900 edition. Excerpt: ...proved faithless her mind was made up, she should go into a decline. Meanwhile, there was only one drawback to professional invalidism. How to pass the time away? This problem was indeed no new one to Susie. Whilst churning, ham-pickling, baking, ironing, and a dozen other occupations ever rendered the working-day all too short for the rest, her own, frittered away in make-believe duties, would drag miserably. And hold mad, what is she not capable of doing in sickness, whether feigned or real? Excitements, pleasant or the reverse, ever come in pairs. For the present Susie was to know nothing of Elkanah's preposterous overtures. "Poor lamb!" sighed Kezia, "the mere mention of such a thing would kill her." Whereupon Henrietta observed, somewhat coarsely, "My! Kezia, how you talk. As if Susie would care so much as a brass farthing if Christy were to marry one-eyed Dick. The lot of us might go to pot for all Miss Sue would shed a tear." Kezia did not then hint at the dark surmises troubling her mind, but when ack Foulger appeared, out came both news and forebodings. "Are we all to be ruined and brought low by Christy? No, ack, if my sister so misdemeans herself, I shall off to the Shires. You won't see my face 0' market-days, and Abel, what'll he think now?" ack looked conscience-stricken. Not for worlds would he own to having visited London on her behalf. He merely said---"It don't matter a straw what he thinks, Miss Kezia. I've seen him, and, no offence, I hope, I mentioned your sister----" "Without going into particulars?" "In course, in course. It doesn't do to inflate those sort of chaps, blown out as they are already...