MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 105 



" Good morning, auntie, I am afraid I am a little late," 

 she said, advancing briskly and bestowing a kiss upon Miss 

 Badsworth. 



" I daresay you were tired, my dear ; it's a long journey 

 from Cornwall." 



*' I am thankful to say I rarely get tired," Lavvy replied, 

 taking her seat and helping herself. " I don't mean to say 

 I don't often have enough for one day, but a little rest 

 puts me right. You look worried, auntie ; is anything 

 the matter ? " 



Miss Badsworth glanced at the heap of correspondence and 

 allowed her eyes to rest upon Mrs. Dickinson's open letter. 



" Nothing to signify," she replied ; " only everything seems 

 to come at the same time." 



" Are those more secretaries ? " Lavvy asked, nodding 

 towards the unopened missives. " If so, we can soon dis- 

 pose of them if you have a good big waste-paper basket. I 

 don't see why in about three days we shouldn't have every- 

 thing here in working order." 



*' Three days ! " Miss Badsworth exclaimed despairingly. 



" Yes, three days. One for the kennels and stables, one 

 for the farm, and the third for gardens and estate generally. 

 You were saying you wanted to go to town ; you would be 

 able to manage it easily next week." 



'* Do you think so, my dear ? I have been obliged to 

 cancel some of my engagements, but there are enough left 

 to occupy the whole of July." 



" Yes ? Are they very important, auntie ? " 



Miss Badsworth paused and drummed on the table with 

 her fingers before she replied : — 



" The various projects I have taken up are not, as yet, 

 self-supporting. In order to be of practical use, and break 

 through the bonds of custom and prejudice, they require both 

 support and perseverance. It is not very easy to make 

 people understand that for centuries they have been slaves 

 to custom ; that, for instance, women can never assert their 

 independence without striking out a line of their own." 



