Loveday's History by Lucy Ellen Guernsey

AUGUST had come round again. Such of the Dutch merchants as had places in the country retired to them and passed long hours contemplating their flower beds and their fat cows. For my own part, I liked Rotterdam better since there, at least, we had the fresh sea-breeze. Truth to tell, with all its neatness, Holland is not a savory country in hot weather.

Garrett and Avice had gone down to visit Katherine, and the maids had seized on the chance for a perfect carnival or orgy of brushing and scrubbing, though the house was always as clean as hands could make it. However, Gatty had brought me that morning a very small spider web, tenanted by a very little spider, as a triumphant justification of her proceedings. So I had nothing to say, and, indeed, I always carefully abstained from meddling in the housekeeping. I was tired and discouraged-I suppose such times come to every one-feeling that my burden had been carried long enough, and that I could not bear it any longer. I was not very well either, having been troubled of late with one of those irregular agues which are the plague of that country. I had heard a rumor that morning that a new pastor was coming to the English congregation, but I did not know his name, and felt, just then, no great interest in the matter, beyond hoping that he would not interfere with my little school.