Product Description: This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1853. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VII. This was destined to be an eventful half-year to me. The next letter that I received from my step-mother, gave me the information of the death of my grandfather. She had been informed of it through a solicitor at Dunnington, who at the same time told her, that my grandfather had by his will bequeathed me fifty pounds, by way of remembrance, considering that I was otherwise provided for, and the remainder of his property went to the children of Mrs. Simon Morley, burdened with an annuity to Mary Rivers. Neither my uncle nor my aunt wrote to me, nor ever took the smallest notice; it seemed as though when I was sent away with Miss Archer, I was to all intents and purposes dead to them. I felt hurt that Mary Rivers should forget me, but I did not recollect, that as she could neither read nor write, it was not easy to keep up a correspondence. I did not in reality care the least in the world about the death of my grandfather, only I thought it was proper to look very grave and concerned. Mrs. Parry told me, rather sharply, not to be affected, and make a pretence of feeling what I did not. But though I was not sorry, I could not help speculating a great deal upon what had become of him. It was a strange, vague feeling of awe, at thinking of him as having entered the invisible world. My step-mother also told me in her letter, that she and my father were staying in the Isle of Man, and that she did not know when they would return to Bradwood. We were now in the beginning of November, and were drawing within sight of the holidays, but still no word had come to me of what I was to do, when one morning, just as we were going into school after breakfast, I was told that some one wanted me, and I found Nokes standing in the hall. "Why, Nokes, where do you...