"
Well, if you had seen her face, and felt the punch she gave my shoulder!
I declare Betty ought surely to've been a boy; she's entirely too
strong for a girl, and rough. I will say, though, that she's been better
lately; but still she breaks out every now and then, and then she hits
out, perfectly regardless of whether she hurts people or not.
She just glared at me. "_Me!_ _I!_ _I_ go into papa's room and make a
speech to him!" she exclaimed so loudly that Phil reminded her she
needn't roar, as none of us were deaf. "Why, I couldn't, I simply
_couldn't_! I'm just as bad as Phil in a sick-room,--you all know I
am; I'd tumble over the chairs, or knock things off the table, or fall
on the bed, or something horrid, and papa'd have me put out. Then I'm
sure matters would be worse than they are now. 'Tisn't that I'm
_afraid_,"--with a withering glance at me,--"and I _do_ feel awfully
sorry about papa; but all the same, I don't want to be the one to speak
to him about the Fetich,--I don't think it's my place: how much
attention do you suppose he would pay to what _I_'d say?" She fanned
herself vigorously, then added, in a milder tone, "Why not let Felix
draw up a petition, and we could all sign it; then--eh--" with another
withering glance--"_Jack_ could take it in to papa!"
"You're a fine set!" mocked Nora; "all _very_ sorry, _very_ penitent,
all seeing what should be done, but no one willing to do it.
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