94 BIOGRAPHICAL [CHAP. xn. 



mother fainted away. Miss G. S. Ormerod, who supplied 

 this information, concludes, " My Aunt Eleanor fetched her 

 forceps, nipped off the hook and drew out the stem without 

 waiting for the doctor's arrival, showing not only her 

 courage but her presence of mind." The same authority 

 goes on to say : 



"She was very fond of children and young people. 

 When staying at Sedbury, we always enjoyed our walks 

 with her. She made everything interesting. She taught 

 me a great deal about insects, helped me to begin a 

 collection of butterflies, &c., showing me how to destroy 

 them mercifully and how to set them out properly. I 

 remember stuffing a splendid dragon-fly under her super- 

 intendence. 



" Fully occupied as her life was up to the time of her last 

 illness, yet she was always full of sympathy and interest for 

 her poorer neighbours, always ready to assist in any good 

 work that came before her. 



" You may like to hear how my aunt was beloved by the 

 servants for her practical kindness and for the keen interest 

 she took in all outdoor surroundings. Any curiosity dis- 

 covered by them, whether animal or vegetable, was always 

 carefully brought in for her inspection. Many were the 

 snakes, birds, nests, insects, fungi, &c., handed to her, 

 especially at the time when she did so much modelling." 



She maintained throughout a practical interest in the 

 survivors of her mother's old servants, and she extended 

 her kindness and thoughtfulness to those of her own 

 household. Her strong loyalty was curiously instanced on 

 one of these occasions, on the King's accession to the 

 throne, when she summoned all her household, including 

 outdoor servants, and produced some rare old white port in 

 which they drank the King's health. She subscribed liberally 

 to St. Albans' charities and other public objects in the 

 Abbey parish in which she lived, as well as in St. Michael's, 

 where she attended church. Dr. Lipscomb gives, in a few 

 words, " An instance of her great generosity, so well 

 known to all who were intimate with her, though she ever 

 did such deeds by stealth and blushed to find them fame." 

 He goes on : "I may mention a day she asked me to see 

 her. Being rather late I apologised, telling her that the 

 annual meeting of the governors of our local hospital 

 detained me. She said she hoped we had had a successful 

 meeting, and on my saying ' Yes, with the exception that 

 the accounts showed a deficit of some thirty odd pounds/ 



