The Daisy Chain Or Aspirations

The Daisy ChainBy Charlotte Yonge

"The Daisy Chain, or Aspirations" by Charlotte M. Yonge is the story of a family of eleven children who learned to grow up without a mother. Their father, a country doctor, generous, absent-minded, with a temper that prevents his children at times from trusting him, had become accustomed to not having to deal with the domestic labor in the household. After the death of his wife, it's his oldest daughters who take on that responsibility to raise and tend to the family with love and honor.

The misfortunes of that day disheartened and disconcerted Etheldred. To do mischief where she most wished to do good, to grieve where she longed to comfort, seemed to be her fate; it was vain to attempt anything for anyone's good, while all her warm feelings and high aspirations were thwarted by the awkward ungainly hands and heedless eyes that Nature had given her.

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"[...] It was such a room as is often to be found in old country town houses, the two large windows looking out on a broad old-fashioned street, through heavy framework, and panes of glass scratched with various names and initials. The walls were painted blue, the skirting almost a third of the height, and so wide at the top as to form a narrow shelf. The fireplace, constructed in the days when fires were made to give as little heat as possible, was ornamented with blue and white Dutch tiles bearing marvellous representations of Scripture history, and was protected by a very tall green guard; the chairs were much of the same date, solid and heavy, the seats in faded carpet-work, but there was a sprinkling of lesser ones and of stools; a piano; a globe; a large table in the middle of the room, with three desks on it; a small one, and a light cane chair by each window; and loaded book-cases. Flora began, "If you don't want this afternoon to yourself-" Ethel was on her feet, and open-mouthed. "Oh, Miss Winter, if you would be so kind as to walk to Cocksmoor with us!" "To Cocksmoor, my dear!" exclaimed the governess in dismay. "Yes, yes, but hear," cried Ethel. "It is not for nothing. Yesterday-" "No, the day before," interposed Flora. "There was a poor man brought into the hospital. He had been terribly hurt[...]".