Hilary said he well remembered being up on the roof of the house one morning, mending the thatch, when suddenly a voice--it was the postman's--cried from the road, 'Royal Exchange burned down!' In this way news got about before the present facilities were afforded.

But some of the old folk still regretted the change and believed that we should some day be punished for our worship of steam.
Steam had brought us to rely on foreign countries for our corn, and a day would come when through a war, or a failure of the crops there, the vast population of this country would be in danger of famine.

But 'old folk' are prone to prophesy disaster and failure of all kinds.
Mrs.Luckett chimed in here, and said that modern ways were not all improvements, the girls now were so fond of gadding about.

This was a hint for Cicely, who loved a change, and yet was deeply attached to the old home.

She rose at this, doubtless pouting, but it was too dusky to see, and went indoors, and presently from the open window came the notes of her piano.