He was still a head taller than his eldest son, but this did not promise to be long the case.

And his eldest girls were so clever, and so forward with their education, that he was increasingly anxious to propitiate Miss Crampton.

It was very difficult to hold the balance even; he scarcely knew how to keep her at a distance, and yet to mark his sense of her value.
"I am going to see the Brandons to-morrow," he remarked to Miss Christie one day, just before the Christmas holidays.
"Then I wish ye would take little Nancy with ye," observed the good lady, "for Dorothea was here yesterday.

Emily is come to stay with them, and she drove her over.

Emily wished to see the child, and when she found her gone out for her walk she was disappointed." "What did she want with her ?" asked John.
"Well, I should have thought it might occur to ye that the sweet lamb had perhaps some sacred reason for feeling attracted towards the smallest creatures she could conveniently get at." "Let the nestling bird be dressed up, then," said John.