CHAPTER XIX. WOOING IN THE DARK.

You may put out my eyes with a ballad-maker's pen, and hang me up for the sign of blind Cupid.--_Much Ado About Nothing_.

Aurelia had been walking in the park with her two remaining charges, when a bespattered messenger was seen riding up to the door, and Letitia dropped her hoop in her curiosity and excitement.

Lady Belamour, on obtaining the Major's partial acquiescence, had felt herself no longer obliged to vegetate at Carminster, but had started for Bath, while the roads were still practicable; and had at the same time sent off a courier with letters to Bowstead. Kind Mrs. Dove had sent a little packet to each of the children, but they found Cousin Aura's sympathy grievously and unwontedly lacking, and she at last replied to their repeated calls to here to share their delight, that they must run away, and display their treasures to Molly and Jumbo. She must read her letters alone.

The first she had opened was Betty's, telling her of her father's illness, which was attributed in great part to the distress and perplexity caused by Lady Belamour's proposal. Had it not been for this indisposition, both father and sister would have come to judge for themselves before entertaining it for a moment; but since the journey was impossible, he could only desire Betty to assure her sister that no constraint should be put on her, and that if she felt the least repugnance to the match, she need not consider her obliged to submit. More followed about the religious duty of full consideration and prayer before deciding on what would fix her destiny for life, but all was so confusing to the girl, entirely unprepared as she was, that after hastily glancing on in search of an explanation which she failed to find, she laid it aside, and opened the other letter. It began imperially

Answer this series of questions:

1. Which correspondence did the woman open first?
2. what did it describe?
3. what did Betty say was causing it?
4. If he had been well, what would happen?
5. but because he couldn't come?
6. what else?
7. was she helped by the talk of prayer?
8. so what did she do?
9. who had been walking in the park?
10. was the messenger clean?
11. where did he take his message?
12. who was excited?
13. what did she do?
14. what doid the major give?
15. that let the lady move from where?
16. what had she been doing there?
17. where was she headed?
18. how were the roads?
19. how did she contact Bowstead
20. did the kids like their cousin?
21. what did they want to do?

Numbered answers:
1. Betty's
2. her father's illness
3. Lady Belamour's proposal.
4. he and sister would have come
5. he could only desire Betty to assure her sister that no constraint should be put on her,
6. That she need not consider herself obliged to submit to the match.
7. no
8. she laid the letter aside
9. Aurelia
10. no
11. to the door
12. Letitia
13. dropped her hoop
14. his partial acquiescence
15. Carminster
16. vegetating
17. Bath
18. practicable
19. with letters
20. no
21. to share their delight