Her
voice was rather highly pitched, and she had an inveterate habit of
saying, 'I'll tell you what,' at the beginning of all her speeches.
She was not tall, but strong, square, firm, and active; she had a
round merry face, a broad forehead, and large bright laughing eyes,
of a doubtful shade between gray and brown. Her mouth was wide, her
nose turned up, her complexion healthy, but not rosy, and her stiff
straight brown hair was more apt to hang over her eyes, than to
remain in its proper place behind her ears.
Adeline was very different; her fair and brilliant complexion, her
deep blue eyes and golden ringlets, made her a very lovely little
creature; her quietness was a relief after her sister's boisterous
merriment, and her dislike of dirt and brambles, continually
contrasted with poor Phyllis's recklessness of such impediments. Ada
readily learnt lessons, which cost Phyllis and her teacher hours of
toil; Ada worked deftly when Phyllis's stiff fingers never willingly
touched a needle; Ada played with a doll, drew on scraps of paper, or
put up dissected maps, while Phyllis was in mischief or in the way.
A book was the only chance of interesting her; but very few books
took her fancy enough to occupy her long;--those few, however, she
read over and over again, and when unusual tranquillity reigned in
the drawing-room, she was sure to be found curled up at the top of
the library steps, reading one of three books--Robinson Crusoe,
Little Jack, or German Popular Tales.
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