Page:Life of Octavia Hill as told in her letters.djvu/275

 looking very happy and smiling. "Have you seen Mrs. Mayne?" they clamoured eagerly. Mrs Mayne is our superintendent there. " She's got something taking care of for you." I found that the boys had walked twelve miles, doubtless delighted with the expedition, but specially to bring me back a great quantity of "palm." And, as I came out carrying it, "Will you have some more?" "Wait a bit and have some more," they cried. When I remembered that these same boys had been our greatest trouble, defying authority, climbing walls, breaking windows, throwing stones, with their hands against us in all things, I could not but feel that we had got on a little, however the houses may fall short in external perfection of what one longs for them to be. I have hardly any of the teaching at home; dear Andy and Minnie having thrown their strength fully into it; so Flo and I only take special classes; but the bright young life round one is very refreshing; and I grow much attached to some of the girls; not the old sense of being any longer their head; this, you will understand, I am not sorry to resign, however precious the position was. Meantime, I have my little sanctum here and go out among my ever-increasing circle of real friends. My work now is mainly teaching drawing, which I enjoy much.

June 7th, 1869.

&hellip; We are having a large meeting in the parish this week to try to organise the relief given; very opposite creeds will be represented Archbishop Manning, Mr. Davies, Mr. Fremantle, Eardley-Wilmot,