A GRANDMOTHER'S RECOLLECTIONS.
BY ELLA RODMAN.
1851.
A GRANDMOTHER'S RECOLLECTIONS.
CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER X.
CHAPTER XI.
CHAPTER XII.
CHAPTER XIII.
CHAPTER XIV.
CHAPTER XV.
CHAPTER XVI.
CHAPTER I.
The best bed-chamber, with its hangings of crimson moreen, was openedand aired—a performance which always caused my eight little brothersand sisters to place themselves in convenient positions for beingstumbled over, to the great annoyance of industrious damsels, who, armedwith broom and duster, endeavored to render their reign as arbitrary asit was short. For some time past, the nursery-maids had invariablysilenced refractory children with "Fie, Miss Matilda! Your grandmotherwill make you behave yourself—she won't allow such doings, I'll bebound!" or "Aren't you ashamed of yourself, Master Clarence? What willyour grandmother say to that!" The nursery was in a state of uproar onthe day of[pg 006]my venerable relative's arrival; for the children almostexpected to see, in their grandmother, an ogress, both in features anddisposition.
My mother was the eldest of two children, and my grandmother, from theperiod of my infancy, had resided in England with her youngest daughter;and we were now all employed in wondering what sort of a person ourrelative might be. Mamma informed us that the old lady was extremelydignified, and exacted respect and attention from all around; she alsohinted, at the same time, that it would be well for me to lay aside alittle of my self-sufficiency, and accommodate myself to the humors ofmy grandmother. This to me!--to me, whose temper was so inflammablethat the least inadvertent touch was sufficient to set it in a blaze—itwas too much! So, like a well-disposed young lady, I very properlyresolved that mine should not be the arm to support the venerable Mrs.Arlington in her daily walks; that should the children playfullyornament the cushion of her easy-chair with pins, I would not turninformant; and should a conspiracy be on f