He was a very nice little boy twenty years ago.

I hope he will turn out well, and do his duty by the place." The neighboring property of Vandon, with its tumble-down cottages, its neglected people, and hard agent, were often in Mr.Alwynn's thoughts.
"Oh, Uncle John, he will, he must! You must help him and advise," said Ruth, eagerly.

"He ought to stay and live on the place, and look into things for himself." "I am afraid he will be poor," said Mr.Alwynn, meditatively.
"Anyhow, he will be richer than he was before," urged Ruth, "and it is his duty to do something for his own people." When Ruth had said it was a duty, she imagined, like many another young soul before her, that nothing remained to be said, having yet to learn how much beside often remained to be done.
"We shall see," said Mr.Alwynn, who had seen something of his fellow-creatures; and they walked on together in silence.
The person whose duty Ruth had been discussing so freely looked after the two retreating figures till they disappeared, and then turned to Mrs.Alwynn.
"You and Mr.Alwynn also go to the school-feast to-morrow ?" Mrs.Alwynn, a little nettled, explained that of course she went, that it was her _own_ school-feast, that Mrs.Thursby, at the Hall, had nothing to do with it.

(Dare did not know who Mrs.Thursby was, but he listened with great attention.) She, Mrs.Alwynn, gave it herself.

Her own cook, who had been with her five years, made the cakes, and her own donkey-cart conveyed the same to the field where the repast was held.
"Miss Deyncourt, will she be there ?" asked Dare.
Mrs.Alwynn explained that all the neighborhood, including the Thursbys, would be there; that she made a point of asking the Thursbys.
"I also will come," said Dare, gravely..