Old Mrs.
Marshman had the two little ones on either side of her, and
was so kind, and held Ellen's hand in her own, and talked to
her about her mother, till Ellen loved her.
After tea there was a great call for games, and young and old
joined in them. They played the Old Curiosity Shop; and Ellen
thought Mr. John's curiosities could not be matched. They
played the Old Family Coach, Mr. Howard Marshman being the
manager, and Ellen laughed till she was tired; she was the
coach door, and he kept her opening and shutting, and swinging
and breaking, it seemed all the while, though most of the rest
were worked just as hard. When they were well tired, they sat
down to rest and hear music, and Ellen enjoyed that
exceedingly. Alice sang, and Mrs. Gillespie, and Miss Sophia,
and another lady, and Mr. Howard; sometimes alone, sometimes
three or four, or all together.
At last came ten o'clock, and the young ones were sent off;
and from beginning to end that had been a Christmas day of
unbroken and unclouded pleasure. Ellen's last act was to take
another look at her Cologne bottle, gloves, pincushion,
grapes, and paper of sugar-plums, which were laid side by side
carefully in a drawer.
CHAPTER XXX.
Sunday at Ventnor.
Mr. Humphreys was persuaded to stay over Sunday at Ventnor;
and it was also settled that his children should not leave it
till after New Year.
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