them in age, but there was a difference in their manners, certainly. Frederic was gentle, and would sit with a book an hour together by his sister's side. Arthur loved her dearly, but he used to slam the door and drive the cats about; he could not be quiet, for the life of him."
Georgiana and Helen went home so interested by the contents of the letter, that, when they had given an account of the dozens of China plates and dishes, and the complete muster of wine-glasses, goblets, and tumblers looked out, they could not forbear to mention kind Mrs. Palmer's correspondence, or rather her letter from Lord Meersbrook. Lady Anne inclined her ear very seriously to the subject, observing that she knew their mother very well; "she was a fair woman, yet her hair was raven black, and she was a great Lincolnshire heiress. Of course, her eldest son gets her estates; the youngest will have nothing. They did very right to put him in the navy, for the father's services were great, and he ought to be pushed. That was matter of chance, however, since Lord Meersbrook could have done nothing for him; he had been abroad ever since his father's death."
Helen looked at Georgiana, and thought sons were very different to daughters; "if she were as rich as Lord Meersbrook, Georgiana would have a fortune tomorrow. Dear Mary, too, who was so poorly, and so kind to every one, how delightful it would be to make her independent!"
